In a Different Way
by MaidenMoonshine
Summary: What if Jenny and Ziva joined the team in a different way? Ziva was already young, but what if we took off two decades? Started during the One Year of Posting Celebration. Dedicated to fiftyshadeswritergal in thanks for all the edit help she has given me (surprise!). If you want to see a toddler Ziva, step into my corner of the AU world!
1. Chapter 1 - Connection

**Here is the final story of the One Year of Posting Celebration. I hope that you have enjoyed. **

**This story dives into the idea of, "What if Jenny and Ziva had joined the team at a different time in their lives under different circumstances?" Enjoy! **

**This is dedicated to fiftyshadeswritergal, who might be surprised by this since it is one of the first NCIS stories in a long time that I have not asked her to edit. Surprise! **

**And to all my readers through the day, thank you! Here's to another year! Now, please enjoy! **

**...**

Gibbs shook Jenny Shepard's hand. She was back - after all these years, back! - as director of NCIS.

"Welcome," he repeated, not knowing what else to say.

"Thank you, Jethro. I actually have someone that I would like for you to meet," she replied glancing over at the other side of MTAC. It looked empty. She turned back to Gibbs and smiled. "I brought an agent with me, from Israel."

Gibbs immediately felt himself begin to bristle. He always hated these joint-force-politcal-party-schenanagin-type-things that figureheads put agencies through - he did not want to be forced to deal with another stuck-up, self-entitled hot shot. Jenny seemed to sense his dislike and smiled.

"You will like this one, I'm sure," she said hastily. "Ziva is the best agent that I've worked with, although easily also the worst driver."

Suddenly, there was a small whirring sound, then something banged against Gibbs' shoe. Gibbs looked down at his foot in surprise. There, stopped next to his shoe, was a blue matchbox car. He heard a shuffling sound on the other side of MTAC and looked up to see a surprise.

_What in the world? _

There was a tiny, olive skinned girl - likely around two- standing on one of the chairs, watching him with big brown eyes. She shoved her wild mane of curly brown hair out of her face with the back of her hand. Gibbs promptly decided that she was the cutest thing that he had seen in years. He reached down and picked up the toy car before looking at her again. Now she was knitting her eyebrows together a bit, putting adorable little wrinkles in her forehead. It was clear that she was suspiciously watching what he was going to do with her toy.

"Is this yours?" he asked kindly, holding the toy out in her direction.

He was surprised when the child gave him a scowl fiercer than that of the world's most hardened criminal before dramatically dropping to her bottom on the seat, out of sight behind the chairs. Gibbs expected her to come running over for her toy. Instead he heard a scuffle of squeaky sneakers and itsy bitsy jeans as she crawled under the chairs up to the front row where she peered out of him and gave him another death glare when she realized that he still had the toy and it was very much out of her clandestine reach.

Gibbs finally overcame his astonishment long enough to turn to Jenny for an explanation. She smiled helplessly at him and motioned to the toy in his hand.

"I told you that she was a bad driver. This is Ziva." She took a deep breath before adding, "And she's mine."

"I thought you said she was an agent," he said, too dumbfounded to think of the wording to the thousand questions that were overwhelming him.

"Oh, she is - as long as the case is 'where are the cheese sticks?' or 'how can I get more ice cream?'!" Jenny laughed.

Jethro examined her. The blush to her cheeks, the twinkle in her eyes, the pure joy in her laughter - she was happy to have this child. But the lines in her forehead, the bags under her eyes, the slight tension in her body - something was not quite right.

"She's yours?" he asked again, hoping for more information. She nodded and motioned for him to take a seat with her.

"Zizi, do you want to come sit with us?" she called. There was a scramble of little limbs, but a glance behind them revealed that Ziva was still warily watching Gibbs. "Mr. Gibbs is very nice," Jenny assured the little girl. He smiled at her. Cautiously the little girl grabbed some of her other toys and then skittered around the room to come to Jenny's side while keeping as much space as possible between herself and Gibbs.

"Do you want this back?" Gibb asked, holding out the toy. Ziva narrowed her eyes and slowly reaching out before grabbing and yanking the toy into her chest in a flash of motion.

"Say 'thank you'," Jenny coached. The little girl buried her face against Jenny's chest. Jenny sighed and looked at Gibbs apologetically. "She's still learning her manners - and English. It takes her a long time to trust - or even begin to try to trust - people."

"That's fine," Gibbs said, smiling at the tiny girl curled up in Jenny's lap. Her head was turned away and he still had not seen her smile but he already thought that she was the cutest little thing. Jenny was lucky to have her and she was lucky to have Jenny - he did not know anything else about their combination but he knew that any child in Jenny's care would be special. "Who's the dad?" he asked the pressing question.

"Director Eli David of Mossad."

Gibbs could say nothing. He had know that Jenny would push herself to the top of the political ladder, but would she actually have a child to achieve her goals?

"And he doesn't know that she is still alive. He thinks that she is ... gone ... along with her mother and sister."

"Tawi?" Ziva said hopefully, looking up as she recognized the word. Jenny blinked back tears as she stroked the little one's cheeks.

"No, honey, remember? Tali went to heaven with Ima."

"Ima?"

"Tali and Ima are in heaven," Jenny gently repeated, kissing Ziva's forehead as the little girl's lip began to tremble.

"Want dem," Ziva mumbled, pushing herself back against Jenny's chest.

"I know, I know," Jenny soothed, rubbing the toddler's back. Gibbs reached out and gently wiped a tear off of Jenny's cheek. She turned to him and smiled at him sadly.

"Her m-o-t-h-e-r was a good friend of mine. She was why I was working in Israel. She was in a very dangerous and harmful situation, but she knew that she could not leave. There are many good people in Israel, but unfortunately Eli is not one of them. Like many politicians - yes, I will agree with you for once - he is not exactly an example of virtues and morals. I was supposed to plan an escape plan, but there was a b-o-m-b-i-n-g and ... well, there was only one survivor. It was the cover we had dreamed of - everything had been prepared by others who were involved in the extraction from the abuse. He is a crazy man, Gibbs - and we rescued her. And now a team is working on putting her through the foster system and making it so that I can legally adopt her as my daughter. I can explain in depth at some other point, but that's the basics."

Ziva squirmed a little in Jenny's arms and turned around to look at Gibbs. Now in the safety of Jenny's arms she seemed willing to give him another chance to impress her.

"You're some cute, aren't you?" he asked her. She looked between him and Jenny. Seeing Jenny smile and nod, she seemed to relax a little, realizing that he had said something good. She contentedly stuck her pinky finger in her mouth and began to suck, self-soothing as her big brown eyes began to drift closed, only to snap back open to suspiciously look at Gibbs before relaxing once again.

"It's been a long day. I never expected to be taking her in and be appointed as director within the same month," Jenny mused, standing with the toddler in her arms. "As everything is taken care of here for the day, I believe that I will take this little love bug home." She paused and a look of annoyance flashed over her face.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked, secretly pleased to realize that he could still read her body language as well as always.

"They sent a car to pick us up this morning. I just realized that I do not have a ride back however. I need to call a taxi or something."

Gibbs shook his head. "Can't have the new director using public transit on her first day in the office - especially not with a tired toddler. I'm guessing that she does not do sleepy very well?"

"No, she does not," Jenny answered, amusement obvious. "She tends to get cranky."

"No cwanky!" the toddler protested, shifting to glare at them.

"Proven correct," Jenny laughed, gently pressing Ziva's head back against her shoulder. "Relax, Zizi, you're okay, you're okay. We're going to go home now. You just cuddle with Mama."

Gibbs felt the tough exterior of his heart crack as the only woman he had ever loved after Shannon kissed the motherless baby.

"I'm driving you both home. C'mon."

"Are you sure? I don't want to inconvenience you..."

"You've never been an inconvenience, Jen."

"Are you sure of that?" she asked, her eyebrow quirked. Gibbs chuckled, remembering some of her early exploits as a probie.

"Well, not much," he amended. "Now, let's go."

Ziva shifted in Jenny's arms and patted Jenny's face to get her attention. "Hungwy."

"I know, baby, We'll get some food ... when we get home."

Gibbs smiled. "You don't have dinners plan, do you?"

"No," she admitted. "Some higher ups wanted to take me out but that wasn't going to work with cutie pie here."

"Hungwy!" Ziva repeated with more urgency in the whining tone.

"How about I pick up something before dropping you off?"

"You'll stay and eat with us, won't you?"

"If it's no problem..."

"We'd love to have you," Jenny cut him off before he could even finish.

"Great. What would you like?"

"Maybe Chinese? I noticed that place we used to get takeout from is still open. The food still good."

"Sure is."

"Then maybe from there would be good."

"HUNGWY!" Ziva wailed, throwing herself backward in her frustration over being ignored.

"Ziva! Hold still or Mama might drop you, darling."

"Here, let me." He scooped the thrashing toddler out of Jenny's arms. The overtired and grumpy little girl immediately stilled in the confusion of finding herself in a new set of arms.

"Mama," she whispered unhappily, blinking back a fat tear.

"Mr. Gibbs can hold you. Mama needs a bit of a break," Jenny told the unhappy baby.

"Want some chicken?" Gibbs asked the little girl. She popped a finger in her mouth and began to suck anxiously. "How about some rice?"

Ziva, not wanting to talk to him, turned to Jenny and echoed, "Wice?"

"Yep. Rice and chicken and all sorts of yummy things."

Ziva seemed pleased with that answer. She turned to Gibbs and asked another question, unprompted this time.

"Ookie?"

"She means 'cookie'," Jenny explained.

"Oh, I guessed that," he said with a smile. "Yeah, I have a feeling we could find a cookie in celebration of your mama's promotion."

"'ig ookie?"

"Yeah, I think we could find a big cookie."

And with that, little Ziva threw her arms around Gibbs' neck in a tight hug. For the moment, she was willing to stay in his arms - as long as he got her that cookie!

"You know, I think that she just might like you," Jenny said happily.

"I think so too," Gibbs chuckled.

"You know," Jenny ventured, "I just started taking her to this play therapist. They mentioned that it would be good to have some safe male influences in her life to help counterbalance all the bad she's seen. You've always been good with kids. And although I haven't seen you in forever and ... well, I was hoping ..."

"Of course."

He did not need any time to think. He already knew that he would do anything - _anything_ \- in the world to protect this little girl along with her beautiful mama. For the moment, that meant getting takeout and feeding Ziva before she had a total meltdown. That was a manageable first step.

The three of them walked out of NCIS. Together. Like a family.

And nothing had felt so right in years.

..

**Please review! Would you like to see this turned into a full length story sometime in the future (probably in the new year)? If so, what would you like to see happen with these three and the team? **

**Thanks for reading! I hope that you enjoyed! **


	2. Chapter 2 - Morning Meeting

**And now ... the story continues (by popular demand! Thanks for the reviews to the following - AnnieQuill, Loads of Randomness, DS2010, didodado, Guest, S, SM, HappyGuest, Fan, Fashionista-girl, ThisBadge, Suzy Q1068, Hetwaszoietsals, Tivagoals, AshLeshawn. Also, thanks to KrisShannon and fiftyshadeswritergal for their encouragement!) I know that I am posting earlier than I had at first suggested, but ... surprise! I love writing this, so I am starting it early, even though I still have one more chapter left in my current Bull story - "The Finding of Cable". (I love the chapters I have pre-written so much that I don't want to wait any longer. If you would like to wait until the new year though...)**

**This story - which will likely be one in what I hope will be a series of Mini Ziva stories - is going to cover Ziva and Jenny settling into NCIS. Basically, will Gibbs and Jenny work it out so that they can be a family? We'll just have to see...! **

**...**

"Gibbs! Where is she?!"

Gibbs was slightly startled at the abrupt greeting. Abby was blocking his exit from the elevator, backed up by DiNozzo, McGee, and Kate, all of whom were looking just as curious.

_And now it starts._

"Who?" he demanded, gently pushing Abby back so that he could step out of the elevator before the doors closed again.

"The new director!"

"Yeah, Jen Shepard is the new director. You all know that," Gibbs grunted. "The whole agency knows by this point."

"She's your former partner, right, Boss?" DiNozzo asked.

"Yes," Gibbs answered, but he sensed another question.

"And she's a redhead, right?"

_And there it is._

He could hear the little mumbles and snippets of suppressed laughter from McGee, Kate, and Abby.

And now it is time to cut that off before it spirals out of control, like anything involving these kids.

"You trying to say something, DiNozzo?"

"Uh, no, Boss..."

"Then close your mouth and get back to work."

But DiNozzo did not run back to his desk, and emboldened by his stance the rest of the troublemakers stayed as well.

"Now what?"

"We heard that you took her home last night," Abby blurted out, going where none of the others dared to go.

_Great. And I doubt that they are the only ones who heard._

"She needed a drive. The limousine they used to bring her here was not kept around for her to get home," Gibbs answered gruffly.

"So you really did not want to spend time with our redheaded director, your former partner?" DiNozzo needled, ducking as Gibbs raised his hand to deliver a well-deserved head slap.

"Oh, be quiet, Tony!" Abby scolded. She turned to Gibbs eagerly. "What about the little girl?"

"Little girl?" Gibbs asked, playing dumb.

"Everyone knows that the director has a little girl with her! What's her name?" Abby asked eagerly.

"Ziva. She's two," Gibbs said, relenting a little. At Abby's happy squeal, he held up his finger. "But it is still very private that she is here. There is a risky situation that she has been extracted from. Jen's adopting her but the adoption is still very fragile. Don't go talking about it."

"To others," Abby said. She widened her eyes at Gibbs to resemble a kitten. "Because we have to talk about it, Gibbs! Is Ziva here today?"

"This is an office building, not a daycare!" he grunted, trying to thrown them off the track. But Abby was smart.

"But she was here yesterday! I heard that the Director was surprised was this new role, and so I'm guessing that she still hasn't found a daycare or babysitter that she trusts yet. I have a friend with a baby and she's on a wait list of about four daycares and none of them have spaces for another two weeks so one of the nuns I bowl with has been taking care of the baby who is named Charlotte because Delia and Sister Grace found out that they are second cousins three times removed and ..."

"Abby, focus on the Director's daughter," McGee prompted. Gibbs glared at him and the probie went silent.

"Yes, back to Ziva. So, will she be here today? I really want to meet her!" Abby begged.

"Downstairs with the Director. AND," he added, stopping the stampede-leading Abby in her tracks, "you will not bother them."

"Of course I won't! I just want to meet Ziva. Toddlers are adorable!"

"Not now," Gibbs warned. "Abs, this little girl has been traumatized. The only reason she even let me talk to her yesterday was because I promised her cookies. Before that, she just scowled at me. After she got the cookies, she went and hid behind a chair and kept scowling."

"Oh, I can do better than cookies!" Abby assured him, as if that would set him at ease. "I have Caf-Pow! and lollipops and chocolates and gummy bears and ..." She noticed Gibbs' disapproving glare. "...And an apple? Some raisins?"

"What kid likes raisins?" Tony griped.

"I did."

"More than candy?"

"My parents didn't let me have much candy," Abby admitted.

"That explains a lot! Is that why you eat so much now? Making up for lost time?"

"No. Yes. Maybe? I never thought of that before."

"Or maybe they saw how hyper it made you and were restricting your access for your own safety," McGee suggested.

"I like Tony's idea better," Abby grumbled.

The elevator "ding!"-ed behind them and Gibbs could not help the tiny, satisfied smile that spread across his lips as Jenny stepped out, the curly-haired tot safe in her arms.

Abby swung around and gasped happily as she saw the new director and the toddler. McGee, DiNozzo, and Kate were opening staring. Gibbs looked around before he started delivering head slaps. If he were to start, it would be hard to find an end. Every single agent in the room was looking at Jenny and Ziva.

_But none of them know them as well as I do_, he told himself confidently.

Even though he had only just reconnected with Jenny, the pain that he had felt when she left him was overruled by the love that he felt immediately revive at her reappearance. And Ziva? There was nothing in the world as adorable as her feisty frowns and cookie-crumb-covered little face the previous night.

"Is that her?" Abby stage-whispered.

"Yep."

"Oooh!" Abby squealed, hurrying over to the director. Gibbs saw Ziva's eyes grow wide and her arms sneak a little more securely around Jenny's neck.

"Abs..." he said, a cross between warning and pleading.

"You must be Ziva!" Abby was cooing over the little girl.

"And you must be Abigail Scuito," Jenny said, smiling at Abby. Gibbs had told her all about his team the previous evening, and she had known that the energetic scientist would be the easiest to identify based on his limited descriptions.

"Abby, not Abigail," was the distracted response as Abby pulled a lollipop out of her pocket and held it out to Ziva.

Ziva, unsure of who this stranger was, turned away and whimpered against Jenny's chest. Gibbs got up and walked over, thinking that he might need to intervene to separate the hyper scientist from the shy toddler and overwhelmed new director. DiNozzo, McGee, and Kate were all slowly moving into a cluster behind Abby, equally as curious but not as bold as their favourite little sister.

"Abs, the Director has work to do," Gibbs tried to remind her, but Abby was hearing none of it.

"But I wanted to meet ...!"

He interrupted. "And you did. Now how about you ..."

Abby, in turn, interrupted him. "Gibbs! It's not fair! You got to meet them last night. We had to wait a whole extra fourteen hours!"

Gibbs reached out his hand to physically pull Abby away, but Jenny stopped him with a look.

"It is lovely to meet you, Abby. I hope to tour around today, meeting different agents and employees. I am planning on coming by the lab right after lunch and I look forward to hearing all about your work then."

"Really? Will you bring her?" Abby asked, peeking around behind Jenny to make a silly face for Ziva's enjoyment. The chocolate eyes peering back at her were big and full of confusion.

"I will have to see. She will likely be asleep then in the office with my assistant making sure that she is okay until I return."

"Oh. Is she really tired? Most little kids are really hyper and so much fun."

_Like you,_ Gibbs thought.

"Yes, and she is very shy right now, Abby. She has been through a lot of trauma in the last few months. She has every reason to be cautious and I am trying not to force her into too much at the moment. I'm hoping that she will nap a little this morning too."

"No nap!" a squeak of a voice piped in as Ziva swung her head around to look at Jenny. "No nap!"

All four members of Gibbs' team were delighted by the cute face. Kate and Abby cooed, and it was clear that even DiNozzo and McGee were enthralled by the tiny tot.

"Sounds like you, Abs," Gibbs noted, being swiftly rewarded by a scowl from his co-worker-turned-daughter. He chuckled, then motioned her to the elevator. "You need to run those tests on the evidence that came in last night. I'll be down soon to get the results."

"Bring a Caf-Pow!"

"If you give me results."

Appeased, Abby got into the elevator and cheerfully waved as she disappeared into the lower floors of the building. Gibbs turned back to his agents.

"You heard me. You all need to get back to work too!"

"Yes, Boss," DiNozzo replied promptly. With a quick jerk of his head, he lead Kate and McGee in the retreat to their desks.

"Shouldn't you be joining them, Jethro?" Jenny asked, her eyebrow raised with a smirk.

"Just let me know if you need anything."

She smiled. "Well, I might need some coffee in a few hours. With cream."

"Still two cream?"

"Yes."

"I'll bring one by at 10:30 when I get my refill, as long as we don't have a case."

Jenny smiled. "I will hope that you don't."

...

**Please remember to review! Next chapter hint - we'll be seeing things from Ziva's perspective. :D :) ;D **


	3. Chapter 3 - From Under the Desk

**I know that I am probably "spoiling" you all with this story, but it is because I have been busy and am behind on my "Echoes" and "The Finding of Cable" chapters. This was pre-writen so I figured it wouldn't hurt to do two chapters so close together, right? Besides ... (guilty smile) I can't wait to find out what you think of little Ziva's perspective! I am slightly obsessed with her at the moment! **

**Thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal and KrisShannon for pre-reading. Also, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter - Troubled-Angel-26, Roie442, his-red-head, Loads of Randomness, SM, DS2010, Hawk, AnnieQuill, S, Fashionista-girl, Suzy Q1068, C13, Fan, and Happy Guest. **

**Enjoy!**

**...**

Jenny had a busy morning, filling out paper work, meeting with agents, and touring the building. She did as much of her work as possible in her office, where Ziva sat on the floor, hiding under the desk with a blue toy car, four crayons, a half-eaten granola bar, and a colouring book that she was diligently filling with artistic scribbles.

"Do you want to come play out here on a blanket?" Jenny asked, peeking down at the little girl. Ziva popped her pinky into her mouth - that way she was better able to grip onto her red crayon without risk of anyone pulling it away from her - and shook her head. She was determined that she was not coming out of her little cave until she absolutely needed to, or until all those strangers left her and Mama alone. She did not like the deep voices and strange shoes that she could see walk past. It was a little scary, but under the desk she was fairly certain that she was safe. She needed to protect Mama, so she would stay down here and pretend that she was a tiger and growl quietly whenever someone new arrived. If any really bad guys came then she would go out and kill them like Abba had always talked about doing to bad guys called "terrorists". Maybe she could "kill" the people in the room using the remainder of her granola bar. For now, she would colour the butterfly on her page. A green scribble right across the middle would do the trick.

However, Ziva did want her sippy cup that she had helped Mama fill earlier. Mama had not done a good job and she spilled water everywhere while Ziva screamed that she wanted to do it all by herself. Ziva was certain that she would have done much better alone. But she was thirsty, so even though her independence had been severely threatened by the "help" in filling it, she still wanted that cup. When she heard the latest strange voice leave, she popped out from under the desk and ran toward her diaper bag. She stumbled and fell on her tummy on the floor. Silly sneakers Mama wanted her to wear! They always made Ziva trip. She liked going barefoot much better but Mama would not let her do that away from home. It was a worth testing though. Ziva pushed herself up so she was sitting and began to pull at the sparkly shoes.

"No, Zizi," Jenny said, catching on to what she was doing. "Your shoes need to stay on your feet."

Ziva immediately pushed her bottom lip out in a big pout, but Jenny just smiled, shook her head, and turned back to her work. Ziva was annoyed. She wanted to be the focus on her mommy's life. Why were those papers so interesting anyway? Mama did not even want to share Ziva's crayons and there were no pretty colours on the paper! Ziva continued to pout, but Mama continued to ignore her.

Ziva decided to try again. She grabbed the velcro strap on her shoe and tugged. It made a ripping sound and Mama heard. She looked at Ziva and frowned.

"Ziva, I said no," she repeated firmly, getting up and walking over. She crouched down in front of Ziva, pressed the strap closed on the shoe, and looked her in the eye. "Keep your shoes on or you will be in time out."

Ziva's eyes grew big. She did NOT like time out AT ALL!

"Did you want something from your bag?" Jenny asked, diverting the conversation.

Ziva began sucking her finger again nervously, but nodded a little.

"Do you want another toy?"

Ziva peeked inside of her bag and looked at the stuffed animal and two other cars. They might be fun later, but they were not what she wanted. She shook her head.

"Do you want your blanket so you can lie down?"

"Lie down" was another way of saying "nap".

"No!" she whimpered around her finger. "No nap!"

Mama shuffled through the rest of the contents of the bag. "Do you want your book? Oh, look! It has a duck on the front. You like ducks. What sound do ducks make?"

Mama was very bad at finding the sippy cup!

"Noooo!" Ziva wailed, impatience overcoming her.

"Then what do you want, baby?"

"Tiwsty!"

"Thirsty?"

Ziva nodded, still upset that Mama had not understood her before now. At least there was hope now that Mama would catch up and give her the sippy cup. Mama gave her a consoling kiss on the cheek and stood.

"So you are thirsty. Let Mama find your cup. At lunch we'll get you some juice. Will that make it all better, sweetie?"

Ziva smiled. She liked juice. It was very yummy. And right now, Mama was looking around for the cup. Everything was okay in the two-year-old's world. She scrambled to her feet once again and toddled after her mommy.

That was, until Mama found the cup and brought it back. Ziva scowled and turned her face away. She put her hands next to her face and refused to take it.

"Now what's wrong?" Jenny asked. Her voice was not happy anymore. Adults would have called it "exasperated", but Ziva just thought that it sounded upset. That was a cue for her to be upset too.

"No!"

She wanted to yell in Hebrew, but that only ever made Mama upset. Mama did not like screaming as much as Ziva did, nor did she understand Hebrew - at least not a toddler's Hebrew. She had been able to understand Ima, but Ziva was still learning to speak correctly. And Ziva was still learning English as well. It was upsetting that she could not talk so Mama would understand.

Besides, why could Mama not see the problem herself? It was very obvious!

There was a yellow lid on the sippy cup instead of the pink one. The yellow lid was supposed to go on the purple cup. This was the blue cup and she needed the pink lid.

"Wong!" Ziva cried, pushing the cup out of Mama's hands onto the ground.

"Ziva!"

"Wong!" Ziva repeated, plopping onto the ground in a tantrum.

"What is wrong? You wanted your cup. Here it is. Now have a drink." Mama picked up the cup and held it back out to Ziva. Ziva scowled and tried to throw it on the ground again. This time, though, Mama had a firm grip and refused to let the cup fall.

Talking to Mama was getting them nowhere. It was time to try screaming after all. Ziva fell face first onto the ground and sobbed loudly and dramatically, adding a few kicks for good measure. Hopefully this would get Mama to change the lid.

Unfortunately, the tantrum did not work. She felt Mama lift her up, and despite a few extra loud squeals, she found herself placed on a blanket spread out on the floor in a corner of the room. There were no toys on the blanket, so that could only mean one thing.

Ziva was in time out!

"You stay here until you calm down," Mama told her, setting her down. Ziva flopped onto her back and continued to sob. She was angry. It was not her fault that the cup had been ruined! That was all Mama's fault! But Ziva was the one in time out. She was still learning what it meant, but she felt all the indignation of life being "not fair".

"Ma'am, you ... never mind," a new lady, introduced earlier as Miss Cynthia, said. Her arrival in the room startled Ziva who was in the middle of one mighty yell that she cut off once she spotted the stranger. She quickly crawled off of the blanket and over to the safety that being near Mama offered.

"Are you done screaming and having a tantrum?" Mama asked sternly. Ziva slowly nodded, blinking away the fat tears that were obscuring her vision.

"Can you say sorry for screaming?"

"Sowwy," Ziva sniffled obediently, lifting her chubby arms as the tears tickled her cheeks and nose as they ran down her cheeks.

"Okay, then. You can play now instead of being in time out." Ziva kept her arms up - she wanted cuddles, not playtime. Mama seemed to understand and she scooped Ziva into her arms and held her as she turned her attention back to Miss Cynthia. "What were you saying, Cynthia?"

"Agent Gibbs is here with some coffee for you. He tried to barge in, but I was able to stop him. Hopefully he will be able to learn the proper office etiquette quickly. I despise when people ignore the correct procedures," Miss Cynthia ranted. Mama, who looked surprisingly tired to Ziva's wondering eyes, just sighed.

"Oh, let him in! I could use some coffee about now."

Mr. Gibbs came into the room. Ziva scowled as she felt Mama move to stand when he entered the room. She wanted to stay on Mama's lap and cuddle but this man kept interrupting their time together. Bad man!

"Hello, Jethro," Mama said. She began chattering with him. Ziva sulkily slipped off of Mama's lap. She growled a little bit, practicing her unhappy tiger sounds. Mr. Gibbs chuckled and said that she was cute. That was offensive. She was not cute! She was supposed to be scary! Ziva slunk into her tiny cave under the desk, out of sight from the amused looks of Mama and Mr. Gibbs. They thought that they could laugh about how cute she was? Well, she was not going to let them see her. They could not call her cute if she was hiding.

But that did not mean that Ziva was not going to spy on them. She peeked up and could see Mama drinking her coffee. That made Ziva remember that she was thirsty, and she still had not had her cup fixed.

"Mama! Tiwsty!" she reminded with a quiet whine.

"Here's your cup," Mama said, handing Ziva the sippy cup. Ziva reached out and took the cup. Close examination revealed that the top was still yellow, but another look at Mama showed that she was distracted with Mr. Gibbs. She was not going to fix the cup. Ziva grabbed the lid and tried to take it off but her tiny fingers were not strong enough. She huffed in frustration, then looked up at Mama hopefully. Still distracted. Ziva reluctantly lifted the cup and began noisily sipping. The water still tasted the same. At least she would survive until silly Mama put the pink lid on the cup.

Being a toddler, facing the world of mismatched sippy cups and competitive strangers, was exhausting. Her head began to droop slowly until it was pillowed against the colouring book. She never heard Mr. Gibbs say "good bye" - she was fast asleep.

...

Ziva woke up after forty-five minutes with renewed energy. She retrieved the extra cars and took turns pushing each car, seeing how far they would fly across the floor. She bumped them together. After awhile she started crashing them together and threw one in the air.

"It 'sploded!" she told Mama. She had seen a car bomb before. That was why Ima and Tali were gone. Ziva did not like car bombs, but she did like being noisy and throwing a toy in the air was more amusing that watching Mama scribbling on adult papers.

Mama told her that toy cars were not for throwing or exploding and told her that it was time for lunch. She took the cars from Ziva and put them in a drawer in her desk, then grabbed the diaper bag and sippy cup and took Ziva's hand. Ziva danced next to her all the way down all the stairs. She could see Mr. Gibbs working with all the strangers from earlier that morning. She was delighted when Mama ignored him - or maybe he was working hard and did not notice her - and scooped Ziva up while they went on the elevator. Off to lunch they went!

Ziva enjoyed the chicken sandwich and cucumbers that she ate at the cafe with a butterfly painting on the wall. She got her grape juice in a big cup with a straw. Due to Ziva's enthusiasm, before Mama could transfer the juice into the sippy cup, the "big girl" cup magicallyy spilled and stained the sleeve of her top. Ziva did not care. The purple dot was pretty, even though Mama fussed about it.

"Do you want to go to the park before we go back to the office, Zizi?" Mama asked. What a silly question! Of course they needed to go to the park! Ziva shrieked and tumbled and climbed every structure in the area. It was fun, but eventually her eyelids began to get heavy. She rubbed them, but it did not make her feel better. She slowly began circling closer and closer to Mama until she finally took her hand and mumbled, "Bankie."

"Your blankie is in the office. We'll go back now," Mama assured her. Ziva trotted wearily beside her for most of the way, but by the time they reached the office again Ziva was curled up in Mama's arms, half asleep. Once her blanket was wrapped around her, she was completely in dreamworld.

...

**I hope that you enjoyed! Please remember to review (they always make me smile and I can always use a smile when I am working on heavy school loads!)**


	4. Chapter 4 - When Naptime Is Over

**Thanks to all the reviewers since last time - Troubled-Angel-26, Loads of Randomness, Hetwaszoietsals, DS2010 (an adorable handful!), Roie442, Fashionista-girl, HappyGuest (I am so glad that it cheered you up! Feel better soon!), Patti Lipscomb (there will be romance, but there will be no Abby bashing - she is one of my favourite characters!), Guest (more of that interaction coming soon!), S, Hawk, Fan, Suzy Q1068, and Dalm. **

**For all who commented on the cups and the accompanying realism, it was based on a real-life meltdown with my step-cousin a few years ago when she was around Ziva's age. Let me tell you, mixing it up so that she did not have all the "girly" (pink/purple) colours and her little sister was left with blue/green was not a good idea. Apparently blue and pink don't go together in a sippy cup ... :D **

**Enjoy! **

**...**

Abby was giving Jenny Shepard a deluxe tour of the lab. Usually the scientist was quite wary, even of new people in the agency, but since Gibbs knew and approved - Abby sensed that there was more than approval in his heart for the redhead - she was nice to the new director.

"And this is Major Mass Spectrometer. He helps me with identifying substances. I really need to give him a new update next week, once it comes out. I am excited to see how it will help him function even better! And here is my refrigerator. You can see all the samples. Ducky and Jimmy store stuff in there that I need to analyze. I got mostly caught up this morning, so there are only two samples that I need to run this afternoon. At least so far. Gibbs or other team leaders might be down later. Oh, and here is my drawer that I fill with rubber gloves and here is another that I fill with hand sanitizer since I can't risk getting sick or contaminating things. And here..."

...

It was taking all of Jenny's fortitude not to interrupt the eager scientist. She was trying to be as patient as possible with everyone today, and to be honest, Abby was a nice break from all the people inundating her with complaints and suggestions. So far, Abby had welcomed her with open arm - literally, with a hug, and figuratively, with her twenty-five-minutes-and-counting grand tour. But upstairs there was a little toddler getting close to the end of nap time. Jenny could only imagine how that would go if she was not there when the little girl opened her eyes.

"And here is my ballistics lab. Hey, would you like to help me test the striation patterns in one of our latest cases? I bet that you can shoot better than I can."

Jenny was intrigued as Abby handed her the gun. Ziva would likely not wake up for another twenty minutes. There was time so ...

"How does this work, Abby?"

...

Meanwhile upstairs, Ziva had woken up from her nap and was now in the danger zone between sleepiness and sobbing. She sat up, shoving her blanket off of her legs. Where was Mama? She looked around and groggily toddled toward Mama's desk. No one was there. No one was in the room.

She was alone!

Ziva gasped. Her breath was like hiccups. She felt something squeezing her tight like a hug, but it hurt. Anxiety was pouring through her tiny body and she did not know what to do. She tried to suck her finger but it was not as calming as it normally was.

"Mama?" she whimpered. "Mama?"

The door opened and Ziva swung around, expecting that Mama had magically reappeared from wherever she had gotten lost - because there was no way that she would have left Ziva all by herself.

Or was there?

Because that was not Mama at the door.

"Doh 'way!" she yelled when she saw Miss Cynthia at the door.

"Hi, Ziva. Your mom left the baby monitor with me in case there were any troubles."

Ziva blinked and frowned. Why was this person here and not Mama? This was unacceptable! Besides that, she was scared!

"Doh 'way! Mama! Mama! Mama!" she shrieked.

"Ziva, it's okay. I'll get your mom for you," Miss Cynthia tried to tell her, but Ziva did not care. She ran at the lady and banged into her knees, trying to knock her over.

"Ziva!" Miss Cynthia gasped, shocked. She frowned and Ziva, fearing retribution, squealed and ducked away, dashing around and under Mama's desk into her little hideout.

"Grr!" she growled like a grumpy tiger.

"Is something wrong here?"

Ziva sat very still at the new voice. She recognized it.

_Mr. Gibbs!_

"Ziva ... woke up..." Miss Cynthia hissed between her teeth.

"And?"

"She attacked me!"

"She's two. How could she attack?" Mr. Gibbs asked with amusement clear in his voice.

"Doh 'way!" Ziva yelled from under the desk. "Hew doh 'way!"

She heard Mr. Gibbs chuckle, then ask, "Want me to handle..."

"Yes. The director is downstairs and she be back soon, but I'm sure until then it will be fine for you to take care of the little ... tiger, I think it is."

Ziva listened closely until she heard Miss Cynthia leave. A peek under the desk's side revealed that there was only one set of shoes. Mr. Gibbs' shoes. Old but shiny shoes. _Safe_ shoes.

She slowly scooted out a little bit from her hiding spot.

"Hey, Ziver," Mr. Gibbs said softly, taking a seat across the room to give her some space.

Ziva crinkled her face a little. Ziver was not her name, but it sounded a bit like it. Maybe it was like when Mama called her Zizi or sweetheart or darling or baby. Maybe it was a new name for her. She scooted out a little more and sleepily put her finger in her mouth.

...

Gibbs could not suppress his smile when he saw Ziva. Her tiny curls where mussed up, her eyes were half-closed, and her pinkie was in her mouth.

"Did you have a nap?" Gibbs asked the tot. She nodded warily. "Oh, what a big girl!" he praised, remembering how Kelly had always puffed up with pride when told that. His heart twinged a little as Ziva reacted the same way, struggling to her feet while the sleepiness faded from her face. She pulled her finger out of her mouth and made her demands.

"Mama!"

"You want to go find Mama? I'll help you find Mama," he told her. "Let's go."

He started for the door but was stopped by a high-pitched whine. He turned around to see Ziva holding her arms out to him.

"Up!"

He slowly walked over and lifted her as gently as he would a priceless antique. He had not expected the little girl to let him touch her, given her violent recent history. She did not put her arms around his neck like she did with Jenny, holding herself back as far as she could. Yes, she was still bothered by past events. Gibbs realized that he was "last resort". She simply did not want to walk, so he was her transportation.

It was a starting place, and he would take it - meaning that he would take her down to the lab.

"We're headed to see Abby and find this little one's mama," he told Cynthia on the way past the deck. She seemed relieved to see the calmed Ziva and waved them on their way.

Ziva squealed unhappily when Gibbs went to push the elevator button. He stopped, pointed to the button, and let her try. With a great grunt of strength, she managed to press it. She turned around and reminded him very seriously, "Mama."

"We're going to get her," he promised. She frowned seriously and began sucking her finger again. She only took it out when they saw Jenny through the lab doors.

"Mama!" she cried triumphantly, squirming to get down.

Gibbs could not help the smile that spread across his face as he saw Jenny crouch down and hug the little girl.

_What a family!_

But there was one thing wrong with how Jenny and Ziva made up a family.

He wanted them to be _his_ family.

...

**I hope that you enjoyed and that everyone is having a safe holiday season. Make sure to take precautions for bad weather and bad judgment of intoxicated or distracted drivers. Spend time with those you love and have fun. God has been so good to me this past year and I am excited to celebrate it! **

**Hugs to all, and to all a good night! **


	5. Chapter 5 - Office Secrets

**Happy New Year! **

**Although this story is set in the fall, they are all experiencing new hope in their lives, so maybe it is applicable if you stand on your head, squint at it, and reflect deeply for thirty-two seconds. :D **

**Thanks for the reviews to his-red-head, Hetwaszoietsals, XxlaurynxX, Loads of Randomness, Troubled-Angel-26, Hawk, Guest who (cute idea for a name!), Fan, S (I'm so glad!), DS2010 (me too!), Fashionista-girl, Esquinzo, HappyGuest (I'm glad that it brought back good memories!), and Suzy Q1068. **

**Enjoy, everyone! Make sure to include reading (and maybe dabbling in writing?) in your New Year's Resolutions if you have any! **

**...**

Gibbs had to force himself to keep his distance from Jenny. Yet, despite his best efforts, his team was not fooled. In fact, they had no clue that he was even trying to restrain himself at all. Abby declared multiple times that Gibbs must be "all in" and everyone else agreed. Gibbs saw all the whispers and mumbled conversations, but they occurred in secret corners where he could not eavesdrop.

But he was not the only one in the office with a secret.

A week after Jenny began, another gossip session was beginning. Gibbs was in Jenny's office, "updating" her on a case. It was free time for the team.

"He brought her coffee!" Tim noted. Kate, Tony, and Abby all leaned in to catch every word.

"Third day in a row."

"I heard from Kathleen in accounting that he was picking up Chinese the other night - enough for three!"

"Did you notice how often he looks upstairs toward her office?"

"They seem to disagree on a lot of work things, but do you see how close they stand?" Kate asked.

"YES!" Tony exclaimed.

"Yeah, me too!"

Abby clasped her hands over her heart. "Did you see him with Ziva the other day when he brought her down to the lab? She was so cute! She wanted her Mama, but can you imagine how great it would be if she had a Daddy too?"

"Perfect!" Tim said. "Can you imagine what a great childhood she would have?"

"They could have a double wedding with you!" Abby squealed as the idea struck her.

"Who?" Tony and Kate chorused, trying to control the flushing in their faces.

Abby giggled.

"Both of you!" she stated, enjoying how pink Tony's ears and Kate's cheeks went.

"We ... we..." Kate stammered, looking anywhere but at Tony. Meanwhile, Tony was looking anywhere but at Kate.

"Aren't they just adorable?" Abby giggled, taking Tim's arm and pulling him away. "Seriously, you two, you're practically engaged working together so much all the time. We'll leave you to look at rings. Come on, Timmy. We'll find some wedding gifts to order online. Maybe monogrammed towels for both of the happy couples?!"

Tim sent his friend and tormenting colleague a glance of pure mischief while he replied, "Sounds great, Abs. Let's get right on that!"

When Tim and Abby disappeared, safely enclosed in the elevator, Tony turned back to Kate. She looked up at him, her face breaking into that special, stunning smile that always made his heart beat a little faster.

"Think they know?"

"Nope. That was just Abby joking," Tony stated confidently.

"How would they react if they already knew that we really are engaged?" she whispered. Tony took her hands and bent in toward her, enjoying the feel of her so close to him.

"It is fun having our little secret, isn't it? Even the two geniuses don't know!"

"But remember - it's not official until you get me that ring," she playfully scolded him.

"But once we get the ring, we have to tell our families and then the whole world will know."

"You are right," Kate said with a sly smile. "I rather like it being our secret."

"Think Boss knows?" Tony whispered.

"How could he? It's only be a week and a day since you proposed. The next day Director Shepherd and Ziva had everyone's attention, especially his. Luckily, the director has kept him distracted all week. I'm sure he hasn't noticed even how we leave for lunch at the same time."

"Yeah. He's been so distracted he hasn't even head-slapped me for the last five days!"

Kate tousled his hair. "Good. We wouldn't want to jumble your head too much. I think you already have a hard enough time focusing on work with me around. With all this gossip about Gibbs, I don't know how you even can make out a coherent sentence in the office."

"All I heard in that was 'make out'," Tony murmured into her hair as he kissed the top of her head. Kate sighed reluctantly, then stepped away.

"Come on, we need to stop."

"But ..."

"If no one knows that we are engaged, they are going to report us for inappropriate behaviour in the workplace," she hissed.

"Then let's tell them so that we can kiss," he teased.

"NO! If my mom and sister aren't the first ones to know, you won't be marrying me - you'll be burying me, DiNozzo!"

"Calm down, future Mrs. DiNozzo. I was just kidding."

Kate smiled and shook her head, startling as the elevator beeped.

"Hurry! Back to work! It's McGee!"

...

Upstairs, a less romantic conversation was starting.

"Ziva starts daycare tomorrow," Jenny said nervously, running her hand over the toddler's head as she played under Jenny's desk.

"Great. You've been waiting for that."

"Yessss."

Gibbs tilted his head to the side a bit.

"Are you worried?"

"No!"

"That was fast."

"I am ... this is silly. I have had research done on every worker there. I know ... I know Ziva will be in good hands and she cannot keep coming with me. It is impractical. But ..."

"You'll miss her."

"Yes!" Jenny laughed nervously. "I'll miss her. Even though I know daycare will be much better for her and she will enjoy making new friends, I will miss her."

Gibbs smiled reminiscently. "I remember the first time I took Shannon out on a date after we had Kelly," he said in the special tone he always used when mentioning his deceased wife and daughter. "She cried the whole way to the restaurant. I nearly started crying too - from frustration. Kelly had been awake for most of the night before, screaming and crying. Shannon and I were both exhausted and I was going to be deployed a week later. I wanted to do something special for her. Instead, she kept running to make a call to the babysitter every ten minutes."

"And that is supposed to make me feel better?" Jenny asked, a mixture of amusement and anxiety in her voice.

"Well, we all survived. Kelly loved that babysitter. It worked out. And so will daycare for Ziva," he assured her, bending down to peek in at the hiding Ziva. "Right, Ziver?"

Ziva, was not easily won, and even after a week of small "favours" from Gibbs - cookies, being carried, help getting up and down from high spots, retrieving her toy car from its entrapped position under a heavy couch - she was not going to talk to him if she did not want to do so. She did not want to do so today.

"Okay, honey, I'll leave you alone," he told her.

"I do not know why she is taking so long to warm up to you," Jenny sighed. "She is always excited to see you. She squirms to get down and smiles and bounces around - right until you enter the room. Then she's back to her shy game."

"Ah, I can wait patiently to be friends," Gibbs assured Jenny, knowing Ziva - ever curious - was listening as well. She might not understand everything he was saying, but he knew that he loved her. Hopefully she would understand that someday.

Preferably someday soon.

Maybe it was time to try something new. He had an idea...

...

**The next chapter is one of my favourites, so be looking out for it over the next week (I hope!). **

**I hope that this was a fun start to your 2020 (the year of the eye doctor). Hugs and best wishes and hopes! (And please, if you have a minute, remember to review!) **


	6. Chapter 6 - Winning Over a Toddler 101

**Hi, everyone! Sorry for the long delay between posts. I'm trying, I'm trying! **

**Thanks to fiftyshadewswritergal for her encouragement with this story! **

**Thanks to all the reviwers - DS2010, fiftyshadeswritergal, his-red-head, Hetwaszoietsal, Troubled-Angel-26, Loads of Randomness, MissShephardGibbs, KrisShannon, Fashionista-girl (thank you! your post was so nice to hear!), Suzy Q1068, Guest who (you should like chapters eight and nine when they come out!), Hawk (good points!), S (just keep reading...!), Fan, HappyGuest, and Dawn248. I love hearing from each and every one of you, even if I have not been the best at communicating lately. **

**Now, please enjoy my favourite chapter yet!**

**...**

Before Ziva had her nap, Mama had read her a picture book about a baby monkey that went to a place called "daycare", where he played ball with a baby panda, ate snacks with a baby hippo - just like Bert in "Auntie" Abby's lab - and drew pictures with a baby koala. The little monkey had lots of fun adventures until the mommy monkey came to pick him up at the end of the day.

"Tomorrow you are going to go to daycare," Mama told Ziva as she cuddled her close and kissed the top of her head. "You will be just like Baby Monkey. Won't that be fun, sweetie?"

Ziva looked at the pictures in the book and popped her pinky in her mouth. It did look like fun. All the pretty colours were swirling across the pages. It would be fun to play with little monkeys and pandas and koalas and maybe even a baby alligator.

"I ... go!" she told Mama sleepily, adding in an extra yawn accidentally. Somehow, stories after lunch always made her tired. And Mama's arms were so safe and warm. It was normal to feel a little tired. Her eyes drowsily shut.

...

"What a brave girl you are!" Jenny praised. "You will have fun. Miss Lora will make sure that you get to do all sorts of games and play with toys and read story books. Do you remember Miss Lora from our visit to the daycare three weeks ago when we first came to America? I put you on a list right away, and now they have room."

Jenny looked down when there was no response. She could not help smiling as Ziva's eyes flickered closed. Jenny hugged her baby close and relished the moment - the slow rise and fall of her daughter's chest, the warmth as she cuddled against her, the love swelling in her chest as she once again silently thanked Rivka for the precious gift of entrusting her baby to Jenny's care.

"I will do my best to take care of her," Jenny whispered toward heaven. Ziva stirred a little, then slumped with sleep. Jenny kissed the toddler's head once again - she never could stop giving the hugs and kisses and snuggles. Like any active toddler, Ziva generally protested if Jenny tried to cuddle with her when she was awake and wiggly; but when she was tired, hurt, or sleeping, Mama could give her all the hugs in the world. Jenny just soaked it all in, dreading tomorrow morning when she would finally have to trust someone else to take good care of her daughter.

...

Ziva woke up from her nap. The door to the office was open and she could hear Mama talking outside, so she was not scared. She rubbed her eyes and got up to help herself to the snack that Mama had left out for her. The package of crackers was open and waiting. She wanted to sit on a big chair and not on the floor, so she struggled to move and then climb a tiny step stool that Mr. Gibbs had made and brought to the office for her. She reached, kicked, wiggled, and squirmed until she made it onto Mama's chair where she could get a better view. She nibbled on another cracker. She would retrieve her sippy cup - thankfully matched correctly today - a little later.

"You're awake."

She looked up, stopping in the middle of stuffing a cracker into her mouth.

It was Mr. Gibbs.

Mama was not here.

Ziva was conflicted about how to respond. Hide? Growl? Yell for Mama? Make Mr. Gibbs help her get to Mama? Demand for him to find her another cookie?

Just then, she saw the flash of pink in his hand.

That caught Ziva's attention. Mr. Gibbs did not seem to be the kind of person that would carry pink things in his hand. That was a pretty colour that little girls liked. Little girls just like Ziva. And as she was the only little girl in the room, she decided that the pink thing must be for her. She started to stand up to get a better look.

"Careful, Ziva!" Mr. Gibbs warned as the chair began to swivel under her. "Sit back down."

Ziva felt like pouting but she was willing to obey if it meant that she would get a chance to see what Mr. Gibbs had. She plopped back down on her bum. He came over and held the chair still.

"Good girl. Now you can get down."

Ziva nodded and wiggled off, her eyes glued the entire time on what was in Mr. Gibb's other hand.

"This is for you," he told her, holding it out. He smiled when he saw how her little eyes glowed with excitement. She took the toy package and promptly disappeared into her miniature cave to examine it in private.

She sat with her little legs stuck out in front of her and looked excitedly at the box. Inside was a toy ice cream truck with a plastic girl figure. Her molded dark brown curls and tanned skin made her look like a small plastic version of Ziva. The toy car was the colour of Ziva's strawberry shampoo at bath time.

It was the first girly car that she had ever received and she could not wait to play with it. She began to clap her chubby hands before trying to pull the car out of the package. But there was a problem. It would not come out! She tried to pull again. Still, it would not come out.

This was a problem. She wanted to play with that new toy - and right now! How could she fix it?

...

Gibbs smiled from where he had taken a seat, on an angle to Jenny's desk. That way Ziva would not feel threatened by his proximity and he could still watch her with the toy. It was clear that she liked it. He was thankful. That agonizing ten minutes of looking over dolls and toy ponies and play-doh had been worth it. Ziva was happy. Maybe she would even like spending time with him if she associated him with the new toy. He smiled as Ziva patted the side of the box, poked the plastic girl's nose, and tried to pull the toy out again and again. Her smile transitioned into a concentrated frown as she examined the sides and the ties holding the toy tightly in place. He considered speaking up and offering to help, but decided against it. It was better to let her come to the decision on her own. She would eventually ask for help.

He hoped.

The concentrated frown changed to a frustrated one as all of Ziva's efforts came up empty. That toy was not coming out of the box without some help. She banged the box against the floor.

"Tum out!" she muttered at the toy car and plastic figurine. She pulled again, then yelled, "Tum out da box!"

Unsurprisingly, the toys did not "tum out".

Two fat little tears sprung up in Ziva's eyes and she tried to blink them away. Gibbs saw and felt sorry for the kid. She was so persistent that asking for help was not an option in her mind - at least not from him. If Jenny was here, he was sure that within seconds Ziva would have turned to her. It was sad and scary that the little one did not feel comfortable asking men for help when she was frustrated. It was time to suggest that he might be a good option for aiding her in freeing the toy.

"I am very good at getting things out of boxes," he said aloud, as if to nobody in particular.

The banging of the box stopped. He could have sworn that her little ears pricked up at his declaration.

"I used to even get toys out of boxes for a little girl that I knew," he added. Surprisingly, his throat did not constrict as much as it normally did when he was referring to Kelly.

A tiny face peeked out at him from behind the side of the desk.

"Too bad I don't have any boxes to open right now. That would be fun," he mused aloud, refusing to look in the direction of the desk.

...

Ziva could not believe her ears. Mr. Gibbs liked opening boxes and she had a box that would not open! She pushed the box out of her small cave and sat at the entrance, watching him. He noticed her and he smiled.

"Are you enjoying the toy, Ziver?"

She hesitated for a second. Abba put pretty things near her, then took them away. She was cry and then he would be angry and yell and sometimes even slap her. She did not want Mr. Gibbs to take her box with the new toy in it. If he took it and she cried, he might slap her, and then Mama and Mr. Gibbs might get in a fight and he might hurt Mama too.

But the toys were not coming out on their own...

Mr. Gibbs got up and Ziva shrunk back a little until she realized that he was just taking a seat on the floor. Abba had never done that. Mr. Gibbs looked like someone who wanted to play. Maybe if she let him take her toys out of the box, he would play with her. She slowly pushed the box toward him - just by an inch - watching him carefully. If he reached out and tried to take the box away from her, she would kick him and scream.

But he did not try to steal her box. Instead, he just smiled.

"Is it a fun toy?" he asked her.

She nodded seriously, then tapped the box.

"Is the toy in the box?"

She nodded again with an even more solemn face.

"Do you like the toy in the box, or would you like the toy to come out of the box?"

"Tum out!"

"Okay. Can I take the toy out for you?"

Ziva nodded again. "Out."

"Can you say 'please'?"

"Please" was a silly word that adults kept trying to get her to say, but if she said it, she usually got what she wanted.

"Peas!" she said sweetly.

"Okay. Let me have the box and I will get it out for you."

...

Gibbs watched the war so visible on Ziva's face - the conflict between the safety of holding the toy herself and the futility of her own efforts to free it from the plastic ties. But her desire to play overruled any past bad memories. She pushed the box toward him and he slowly, deliberately took it; pulled out his trusty knife; and carefully cut the ties and took out the toy car for the eager little girl who was now bouncing excitedly next to him. He put the knife away, then finished removing the doll and several other accessories - tiny ice cream cones and a sun umbrella and picnic table were also in the set. Ziva's smile was the brightest he had seen when the new toys were safely returned to her. He got to see deep dimples in both of her cheeks and her beautiful brown eyes sparkled with joy as she dropped the figurine unceremoniously into the back of the ice cream truck before experimentally pushing it back and forth in front of her.

Yeah, it was worth it.

...

Ziva decided that it had been worth the risk of trusting Mr. Gibbs. Now she had all these new toys! She could play in her cave. But as she crawled along, pushing the toy car in front of her, she realized that Mr. Gibbs was still sitting on the floor next to her. She had an idea. She changed courses and went to the diaper bag. She pulled out the green car - her very favourite - and crawled back to Mr. Gibbs.

"Hewe," she said softly, holding out her treasured toy.

"Oh, thank you, Ziva," he said. He held the toy gently. She knew he would take good care of it.

"Vwoom!" she said, zooming her new ice cream truck toy across the carpet.

"Vrooooom!" Mr. Gibbs said, pushing the green car next to hers.

She giggled and paused, bouncing on her knees. She clapped her hands with sheer excitement.

Mr. Gibbs was way better at playing cars than Mommy, who only made the cars "stop" and "go" and never let them go too fast over the floor and bang into walls. Mommy never "vroomed" as loud as Mr. Gibbs did either.

Ziva scooted next to Mr. Gibbs and looked up at him with a calculating expression. She pushed the new car and it bumped into the wall. Would he say the worst words in the world - "No, Ziva"?

He pushed the green car so that it bumped into the wall as well.

She wanted to play cars with Mr. Gibbs FOREVER!

...

That was how Jenny found Gibbs and Ziva half an hour later when her call ended - sitting on the floor, sending sturdy toy cars flying across the floor and marking the cheap floor boards - laughing and growing closer together the whole time.

And when Jenny said it was time for the grown-ups to get back to work, Ziva crawled into Gibbs' lap and kissed his cheek of her own free will before scrambling back to play with her truck. But it really was not the toy that had made him so attractive to her - it was the time that he spent ignoring aching joints while engaging with her on her level.

Progress.

For everyone.

...

**I hope that you enjoyed! I LOVED writing/editing/re-reading this chapter. Please remember to review and let me know what you thought! **


	7. Chapter 7 - Singing the Daycare Blues

**Hi! I'm finally back! **

**Thanks for all the reviews everyone - Troubled-Angel-26 (always so fast to comment! I think that you must be my speediest reader!), Hetwaszoietalsals, his-red-head, HannaBananas13 (love the username!), DS2010, Loads of Randomness, Hawk, S, Guest Who, Guest (I'm glad to hear about your enthusiasm!), Fan (Gibbs will definitely babysit at some point; also, I'm glad that you notice the continuity - I try!), MissShephardGibbs (hmm - sensing that you like Jenny and Jethro together?!), Fashionista-girl, HappyGuest, A, Suzy Q1068 (I love how people keep being reminded of toddlers that they know! I laughed when I read your comment - keep in mind when you read the chapter that I had already written it before reading your response!), and KrisShannon (Ziva definitely loves liveliness when she is playing!). **

**I worked at a daycare, so this chapter was fun to write. I hope that you enjoy, and thank you so much for the patience as I get back into my regular schedule. Hugs!**

**...**

Ziva had clung to her Mama's hand as she looked around in confusion. Here they were at "daycare" and there was not a single baby animal in sight! No baby hippos, no alligators - not even an ordinary puppy or kitten! Instead, there were a bunch of kids screaming and playing with toys. Ziva played with them for a few minutes, but then she had noticed Mama getting lost and leaving without her. Ziva had run over and grabbed onto Mama, but now two ladies were trying to pull them apart while they called her "sweetheart" and "honey". They were trying to steal her away from her mommy!

But the worst part was ... Mama let them!

"Bye bye, darling. I'll pick you up after work," Mama said, giving Ziva a quick, nervous kiss on her cheek before disappearing out of the door like a coward.

Ziva tried to run after her, but one of the ladies picked her up and held on tight, even when Ziva thrashed and squealed at the highest decibel she could manage.

"MAMA! MAMA! MAMA!" Ziva screamed in panic as she came to terms with the fact that she could no longer see her mother. Besides the times when she was sleeping, she had been around Mama all the time since they moved to America. It was traumatizing to lose sight of her.

"Do you want to read a story?" the lady holding her asked after several minutes of trying to calm her down while Ziva panicked.

"MAMA!" Ziva screamed. It was not working. Mama had disappeared.

The lady tried again. "Do you want to play with the toys?"

Ziva swiped at the big tears trickling down her cheek and adamantly shook her head. She pointed to the door and whimpered in the most pitiful way possible, "Mama!" Maybe this lady would help her go find Mama. The lady shook her head and smiled kindly.

"Ziva, your mommy went to work. She'll be back later. She wanted you to stay here and have lots of fun."

Ziva wiggled wildly, wanting to get down and run to the door, but the lady held her tight.

"How about we go play with Benny and Izzy over in the block corner? Do you like blocks?"

Ziva went quiet. She had worn herself out a little with screaming and kicking, and Mama had not come back. Maybe she never would. It was sad. She began to suck her finger and blinked away the tears so that she could focus on the little boy and girl that the lady was talking about. They were playing with giant cardboard blocks that made huge piles. Izzy giggled as Benny knocked over the current tower. It did look like it was fun - maybe.

"I'm Miss Lora," the lady said as she sat down next to Benny and Izzy and settled Ziva in her lap. "And this is Benny and Izzy. Can you guys say 'hi' to Ziva?" She's going to be your new friend!"

"Hewwo, Zida!" Benny said enthusiastically, nearly falling onto her as he tripped on some blocks. Miss Lora steadied him with a chuckle.

"Watch out, buddy! You have blocks everywhere over here!"

"I'm thwee!" Izzy told Ziva proudly. "I'm a big giwl! My biwfday is soon."

"That's right. Izzy is going to be four next week."

Ziva pulled her finger out of her mouth. It was about time that she have a voice in the conversation.

"Mama don," she informed them seriously. It was important that everyone know the travesty committed against her.

"Mommy comes befowe suppew," Izzy told her, patting Ziva's head like she was a puppy. "Come play!"

"Oh, that sounds fun," Miss Lora said enthusiastically. "Who wants to make a big tower?"

"Me!" Izzy cheered.

"Me!" Benny echoed.

"What about you, Ziva?"

Ziva shook her head back and forth. No, she was not interested in playing. She was still much too sad about her mommy leaving. She was not screaming anymore, but she was still upset. She wiped away quiet tears while Izzy, Benny, and Miss Lora played with the blocks.

...

"How are you holding out?" Gibbs asked Jenny as he finished updating her on the current case.

"I'm a wreak," Jenny admitted, slumping a little in her chair. "I am so worried that she will think that I am never coming back and will hate me when I go to pick her up and never want to see me again!"

"She's two and at daycare, not sixteen and in prison. She'll be glad to see you when you go back in a few hours."

"Maybe."

"Jen, she's fine."

Jenny sighed. "This is just so much harder than I ever thought that it would be."

"Relax. She's okay. She's probably having lots of fun."

...

Ziva whimpered through morning snack, sniffled through lunch, and sobbed herself to sleep at nap time. She did NOT like daycare!

But when she woke up and began to sniffle once again, missing Mama's hugs, she suddenly spotted craft supplies being taken out and placed on the table that was just the right size for toddlers to have a good view of everything.

There were plates full of beautiful paint just waiting for hopeful young artists.

"Want to come finger paint, Ziva?" Miss Julie asked. Miss Lora was already helping Benny dip his hand in red paint. It did look fun. Ziva nodded cautiously. Within minutes, she was dressed in a painting apron and cheerfully patting green hand prints all over the brown paper tablecloth. She forgot all about missing Mama as painting transitioned to snack time and snack time transitioned to playing outside in the sandbox. She was dancing around in the early autumn wind and fallen leaves when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Hi, Ziva baby!"

Ziva tripped - once again, those sneakers got in the way! - then scrambled to her feet, a dimpled grin lighting up her whole face.

"Mama!" She ran to the gate and Miss Lora let her out, where Ziva promptly grabbed her mama's knees in a tight hug before transitioning to trying to climb her.

Mama laughed and picked her up, kissing her cheek.

"You look like you had fun! Did you like daycare?"

Ziva, once again safe with Mama, looked around at the daycare. It _had_ been fun, but she suddenly remembered how upset she was that Mama had left. Promptly, she burst into tears.

...

"What is the matter?" Jenny asked in genuine confusion. How come Ziva, who had been giggling twenty seconds ago, was now crying against her chest? Nothing that bad had happened since she arrived. She looked around for any reason for the sudden tears.

"This happens all the time," Lora chuckled. "I think the babies and toddlers just like to keep up the protest that they really don't want to be left behind. My little guy used to do it all the time whenever I left him with a babysitter."

Jenny relaxed a little, rubbing circles on Ziva's back. "So are you just doing this for show?" she asked the toddler. Ziva blinked innocently and pointed to the car.

"Doh buh bye!"

"In a minute." Jenny turned back to Lora. "How was the rest of her day?"

"She was fussy at first and definitely had some hard moments, but it was just an average first day for a kid her age. She did pretty well and I'm sure that it will only get better. Right, Ziva? You and Benny and Izzy and the other kids can have fun again tomorrow!"

Ziva tilted her head at the new information, but turned back toward the car.

Jenny patted her back. "You ready to go home too? Let's go get some supper ready, baby."

"Bye bye!" Izzy hollered.

"Bye bye!" Benny echoed

"Buh bye!" Ziva said charmingly, waving to her two new friends who were watching from the sandbox.

Jenny smiled and kissed Ziva's cheek again. They had made it through the first day of daycare and Jethro was right - Ziva still loved her, if the kisses and chatter about "Hungwy - ookies?" were any clue.

**...**

**I hope that you enjoyed. Thanks for reading! If you have a moment, please leave a comment. I love to hear from you!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Playtime

**Finally ... I am getting around to posting another chapter! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed - hid-red-head, Hetwaszoietsals, Troubled-Angel-26, Suzy Q1068 (I definiitely hope to do a story on Kelly someday when I have more time!), Fan, Fashionista-girl, fiftyshadeswritergal, Loads of Randomness, S, DS2010, Guest who, Hawk, and Guest. I love hearing from all of you and I am sorry that I took so long in updating! **

**Now ... enjoy!**

**...**

Ziva knelt on the arm chair, peering over the back at Mama who was working in the kitchen. They had come straight home from daycare and Mama was back to work. She was making supper and Ziva had wanted to help, but everything was going up far above her head. Mama would not let her climb up the drawers and onto the countertop, so Ziva's attention had wandered quickly. For now she was playing with her new toy person and ice cream truck on the chair. Both she and the little plastic girl - aptly named "Zidi" by the delighted toddler - were spying on Mama and hoping for cookies for supper.

Unfortunately, Mama was cutting vegetables and meat. Those were not foods that Ziva liked - at least not as much as sweets and treats. Her little face contorted with displeasure.

"Ookies, Mama?"

...

Jenny had to smile while her back was to Ziva. The toddler had developed an addiction to cookies on the flight to America and they were most definitely a "comfort food." Jenny regretted that she had not had fruits and veggies on that flight to entertain and fill tiny Ziva's tummy. At least tonight she would try to convince the little girl that more nutrient-dense foods were delicious as well. Jenny turned around and talked to Ziva.

"No cookies tonight, baby. We are going to have sausage and mashed potatoes and green beans. We might be able to find some apple sauce as a treat for after you finish eating supper."

"Attle sauce?" Ziva echoed. Her brown eyes were big and curious.

"Yes, yummy apple sauce."

"Attle sauce yummy!" Ziva repeated with a little giggle.

"And beans and potatoes and sausage are yummy too," Jenny said leadingly. But her attempt did not work. Ziva pursed her little lips together and shook her head stubbornly.

"Ookies and attle sauce!"

Jenny sighed in defeat and turned back to her cooking. Already food was a battle and they were not even at the table.

"Play with your toys, Zizi. When Mama is done out here she'll come play with you until supper is ready."

_Next time Jethro wants to buy her a toy, he can buy her a toy fruit stand! I need all the help that I can get!_

...

Ziva hung backwards off of the chair, then tumbled off in a modified back flip. She had been playing with her toy truck ever since she got home. It had been fifteen minutes, but with Mama busy, Ziva found herself in need of new amusement. She began to wander around the room. She pulled some books off of the shelf, but they were "big girl" books that Mama read. No pictures - just pages with wiggly lines. Ziva just knew that she could draw prettier lines on her own. The books held no appeal so she continued her search. There was a hamper of laundry - there were dozens of tiny socks. They were Ziva's socks - and how she did love her socks! There was one with a strawberry on it. Ziva grabbed it and plopped onto the ground.

"Uhh!" she grunted, tugging at the boring blue and white striped sock that she was wearing. It came off and she wiggled her toes, giggling at the sight and feel without her sock. Then she tried to tug the strawberry sock onto her foot. It was harder than Mama made it look! Ziva got it partially on, then lost interest with that as well and looked for yet another activity. The strawberry sock flopped along with her.

The living room having been futile for finding lasting amusement, Ziva decided to venture farther afield and headed for the bathroom. Now this was a room where she could have fun! She strolled over to the toilet paper roll and gave it an experimental spin. Toilet paper wafted off easily. She spun it again. Even more paper spun off, creating a small pile on the floor. Ziva picked up the end and began walking away. It was amazing how the paper followed her! It was like a very long kitty tail. She spun around in circles until the toilet paper tied her up like a large cocoon. Eventually she got dizzy and stumbled against the wall before falling on her bottom. She bumped her head a little and had to blink away a few tears that sprung to her eyes, but she was too busy to cry. This toilet paper stuff was fun! She struggled to her feet and began to waddle across the room. She continued to spin the toilet paper roll - for some reason, it was getting smaller. That was very disappointing. Ziva poked it to see if it would grow some more but nothing happened. She picked up part of the pile of toilet paper and tried to balance it on the roll once again, but it did not look quite right.

The doorbell dinged. Ziva ignored it. She was still too busy playing with her toilet paper. She patted it and stroked it, enjoying the softness.

"Come in, Jethro," Mama yelled.

_Jethro_ \- that sounded familiar. Ziva tilted her head to the side to think about what or who Jethro was supposed to be, then turned her full attention back to the toilet paper. She wanted to play with it a little more. She picked it up and tossed it in the air. Some drifted down and settled on her head. It was like a beautiful, funny hat! She giggled and shook her head. All the toilet paper slid off of her little curls. She was enthralled. But then ...

"Where are you, Ziver?"

When she heard a voice in the living room, she paused.

It was Mr. Gibbs' voice! She quickly scrambled to her feet and waddled as fast as she could toward him.

...

Gibbs had to laugh when he saw Ziva scampering into the room. She was covered from head to toe in toilet paper - and obviously delighted with that fact.

"Mitter Dibbs!" she yelled happily. "Pway caws!"

"Hey, Ziver. Looks like you got into the toilet paper," he chuckled.

"What?" Jenny groaned from in the kitchen. She stepped out and took a look at Ziva. "Oh, darling, you made a mess!"

"Not too big of a mess," Gibbs amended. He walked over and took her little hand. "Let's go clean up the mess, Ziva. I'll help you."

"Pway!" Ziva whined, unhappy at the change of directions. She looked longingly over her shoulder at her basket of toys and her truck still on the arm chair.

"We'll play after we clean," Gibbs assured her. "Come on, you can help by being a big girl."

"Thank you, Jethro," Jenny said, returning to her frying pans and bubbling pots.

"No problem," he chuckled, turning to the little mess maker at his side. "Now, let's clean so we can play with your cars."

"Pway caws?"

"Yep, once we clean. Then we'll play. Then we'll eat the yummy supper Mama made, and then you'll get ready for bed."

"No bed!" Ziva protested, plopping down to sit on her bottom. Mr. Gibbs held out his hand. Ziva sniffled but reluctantly handed Gibbs scraps of toilet paper for him to place in a trash bin.

"Not until later," Gibbs assured her. "And little miss? No more playing with toilet paper. It is NOT a toy!"

Ziva stuck her bottom lip out at the scolding, but sadly kept handing toilet paper to Mr. Gibbs. He noticed that the shiny button eyes were becoming teary and quickly switched to being encouraging.

"There, we're almost done. You're such a good helper. Can you hand me that last piece?"

Ziva sadly watched her "toy" disappear into the garbage, but disappointment was replaced by unfathomable joy when Gibbs scooped her up, tickled her tummy, then swung her off to the living room.

"Ready to play?"

"Yah!"

...

**I hope that you enjoyed! :) Coming up in a few chapters - Abby as a babysitter. As I am writing several chapters ahead, I would love to hear your ideas for what mischief you think that they might end up causing. ;)**


	9. Chapter 9 - Fwends?

**Hi, everyone! Sorry that it has been FOREVER since I updated. Just haven't been feeling up to it lately. It might have something to do with the craziest three weeks in regards to school, volunteering, midterms, papers, emotions, etc.! **

**Anyway, I hope to have a new chapter for "Echoes" next week as well as some updates and other fun stuff once I'm on my March break. :D So, be assured, I have not abandoned my stories. :) They will be continued. **

**For now, Ziva tries to decipher friendship. **

...

"You're here!"

Ziva peeked nervously over Mama's shoulder and looked at Abby. It was only her third time seeing the quirky scientist and she was still formulating an opinion.

That opinion was a little difficult to make when bombarded with questions.

"Want a lollipop?"

"Not right now, Abby," Mama scolded the strange stranger. "She does NOT need a lollipop!"

Ziva did not know what a lollipop was but it sounded like it might be scary. Mama was protecting her. Ziva hugged her a little more tightly.

"Want a sticker?"

Ziva ducked her head away. Maybe she would snag a sticker later but for now she was not interested.

"Would you like some raisins?"

Ziva looked up. She did like raisins ...but they were not as yummy as cookies and thus not deserving of the courage that it would require to ask for raisins from Abby. Mama had teddy bear cookies in a drawer in her office. She would wait until then.

"I printed off some colouring pages. Would you like to colour with me?"

Ziva did not even deign that question with a glance up or any response.

Then there was the grandest of offers - "Would you like to play with Burt?"

Ziva looked up at the hippo. She had seen him once before. She still was not very sure what a hippo was, but this one made funny noises. Abby squeezed him and Ziva giggled a little.

"You are just SOOO adorable!" the scientist squealed while setting Burt on her computer desk. "Come to Auntie Abby!" she said with a clap before extending her arms to the child.

Ziva's giggles disappeared and she hid her face against Mama's chest once again. She was not quite sure how to take "Auntie Abby". Abby was excited and happy but Ziva still was not sure if that was a good or bad thing in relation to her. Better to hold on to Mama and stay safe.

"Can't you just say 'hi", Zizi?" Mama coaxed. Ziva refused. Mama would keep her safe. There was no need to say 'hi'. Life was very good without such foolish pleasantries.

But something was changing.

"You are so heavy!"

Mama adjusted how she was holding Ziva and suddenly the toddler was forced out of her hiding spot. She squirmed and tried to grab on tighter to Mama but Mama was not cooperating very well! In fact, she was setting Ziva on the floor where she would have to stand on her own!

Ziva grabbed Mama's knees as soon as her feet touched the floor. She made squeaky sounds as she darted behind her. Mama was the only safe person. Well, Mr. Gibbs and Miss Lora were safe too, but everyone else was still questionable. The verdict was still out on Abby. Ziva hid her face in Mama's skirt.

"Am I scaring you?"

Ziva peeked up at Abby with one eye.

Oh no! Abby looked sad!

"Don't worry. I'm not as scary as I may look," Abby said in an attempt to reassure the toddler, but her voice wobbled a little as she said it. She backed away, giving Ziva more space. "I ... I guess that I'll just ... go." She turned and walked away.

Ziva slowly lowered the fabric away from her face and watched where Abby was going.

"I'm sure that she'll warm up to you in a bit," Mama was saying. Ziva did not know what _that_ was supposed to mean but she did know that Abby only gave a little smile. It still seemed very sad.

And Ziva, despite her misgiving of strangers, thought that Abby should not be sad since that was making the pint-sized observer sad too. She stepped around in front of Mama and tilted her head to the side to continue observing the scientist.

...

Abby was feeling rather let down. She had been so excited about Jenny bringing Ziva in to NCIS for the day. She had been hoping for another chance to see the adorable tot but now that Ziva was there she seemed too startled by her eager reception. Abby turned to her computer monitors and brought up the information that Jenny had come down to learn. Inside she was sadly contemplating on how in the world she had scared off the toddler that she was so eager to impress. She slumped on her stool and rested her elbows against the desk as she interpreted the results of her latest tests in a monotone voice.

"Thank you, Abby," Jenny said. "Zi, you ready to go?"

Abby just kept looking at her screens. There was no point in even saying "good bye" if the toddler disliked her so much.

"Tad?" Ziva jabbered in the background.

There was a little pause.

"Tad?"

Jenny cleared her throat.

"Abby, I think someone is asking you a question."

Abby spun around and looked at the toddler.

"Tad?" Ziva repeated from her secure position grabbing onto her Mama's hands.

"She means 'sad'," Jenny commentated.

"Am I sad?" Abby clarified.

Ziva nodded in confirmation. That was what she had been asking.

"Just a little," Abby said. "I didn't mean to scare you. I want to be your friend, Ziva."

"Iddy and Benny fwends."

"Yeah. But can I be your friend too?"

Ziva tilted her head to the side and considered that idea for a minute.

"No."

"Ziva, that's not very nice," Jenny said, crouching down to be on Ziva's level.

...

Ziva was confused. Abby smile disappeared and Mama was frowning.

_Why?_

Abby could not be a friend. Benny and Izzy were friends. They were around Ziva's size and age.

"Abby just wants to be your friend. We always want lots of friends," Mama said. Ziva looked between Mama and Abby before shaking her head.

"Big!"

"What?" Mama asked.

"Big!" Ziva added, waving her hands in an attempt to clarify despite the growing confusion. "'oo big!"

"I'm too big to be your friend?" Abby asked with a smile. Ziva nodded.

"Fwends ittle!"

Mama laughed and smiled again. She kissed Ziva's cheek before saying, "Zizi, baby, friends are ALL sizes! Little like you and all grown up like Abby."

"Fwend?"

"Yes. Abby can be your friend!"

"Fwend?" Ziva asked, peering at Abby from behind Mama's arm in a sudden bout of shyness. This friend business was confusing!

"Do you want me to be your friend?" Abby asked, crouching down to be on eye level with the toddler.

Ziva hesitated. How should she deal with this question?

Her busy little eyes spotted something shiny in Abby's lab coat pocket. It appeared to be a pen with fluffy feathers and a sparkly jewel on the end. Ziva wanted that pen for colouring!

"Fwend," she cooed softly, promptly reaching out and helping herself to the pen.

For some reason, Mama and Abby found that funny.

She did not know what "conniver" meant, but if she got to keep the pen it must be a good word!

**...**

**I hope that you are leaving with a smile. :) Have a wonderful day, friends and readers! Hugs to you all! **


	10. Chapter 10 - Night at Home

**Hi, everyone! Yay! Another chapter - I'm so glad to share this with you. :D Thanks to all the reviewers - Troubled-Angel-26, his-red-head, Hetwaszoietsals, Loads of Randomness, didodado, Suzy Q1068, Fashionista-girl, Guest who, S, HappyGuest, Fan, and KrisShannon. I'm glad to hear from all of you! (And I AM trying to update more regularly!) **

**Enjoy! **

**...**

"Come on, Ziva. Time to go," Jenny called to the toddler. Ziva looked up from the sandbox where she was destroying sand castles with her best friends, Izzy and Benny, and shook her head.

"Pway!" she told Jenny. Jenny sighed.

_Why does she have to be so cute while she's being stubborn?! It makes it so hard to be stern!_

"No, Zizi. It's time to go," she repeatedly lightly, reminding herself that Ziva did not do well with negative tones of voice.

Ziva continued to ignore her, laughing as Benny poured a shovel full of sand over her sneakers.

_That's a mess._

"Ziva, time to go home," Lora added, walking over and trying to take the toddler's hand to lead her over to the waiting mother. Ziva pulled away and let out one of her tiny, high-pitched squeaks that threatened to turn into a full scream. Jenny watched, hoping to discover that the child worker had some secret technique that would avoid one of Ziva's ever-more-frequent temper tantrums. As Lora tried to take Ziva's hand again, Jenny could see the tell-tale signs of one about to happen.

"Ziva. Come." Jenny said sternly, hoping to distract Ziva from screaming. It did not work.

"No doh!" Ziva screeched. She ran away from Lora and in the opposite direction of the gate where Jenny was waiting. Ziva tried to climb up the ladder to the slide but Lora caught her with little effort.

"Ziva, no," she said, scolding the toddler as she dragged her over to her mother. "You're not allowed to climb up there without help and it is time to go home anyway. Be good and go to your mommy."

"Nooo!" Ziva whined, trying to stall her departure by lying on the ground of the play yard. Lora picked her up and carried her, kicking and crying, to Jenny who took her upset daughter.

"Oh, stop it!" Jenny scolded. "You don't act like that when Mama says it's time to say goodbye. We need to go. You'll be back tomorrow."

Ziva just kept crying.

"Look on the bright side," Lora suggested. "At least she isn't upset about staying here through the day anymore.

Jenny smiled wryly.

"Small blessings?"

"Small blessings!"

"Now, come, Ziva. Let's go see Mr. Gibbs."

...

"Mitter Dibbs?" Ziva whimpered through her frustration-induced tears. Mama and Miss Lora had interrupted her very fun time in the sandbox with her friends. Benny and Izzy were still playing and she was going to have to go in her car seat. It did not seem to be fair that she was being victimized in such a dreadful way. But if they were going to go see Mr. Gibbs ...

"Yes. Mr. Gibbs is coming over to our house for supper."

That was pure excitement making Ziva wiggle to be let down so that she could run to the car. She was all ready to go!

"Yay! Doh caw!"

...

Jenny shared a secretly amused glance with Lora and then carried the toddler off to the car.

Motherhood could be very confusing.

...

Ziva did not understand why Mama was taking forever to take her to the car. Mr. Gibbs was waiting! Mama needed to go faster!

Toddlerhood could be very confusing.

...

"Hello, Ziver. Did you have a good day?" Gibbs asked as the toddler barrelled into his legs and immediately tried to climb him.

"She didn't want to leave," Jenny remarked wryly.

"There was an issue?" he asked as he picked her up and kissed her cheek.

"She ran around, refusing to come."

"That's not good," Gibbs said, looking at the unashamed little girl. "You need to go to Mama when she calls you."

Ziva tilted her head and watched him for a second, listening. Then her little face broke out into a delighted grin, tiny dimples in her cheeks.

"Pway!"

"Yep, we'll play," Gibbs said. He could not help chuckling at her exuberance as she wiggled out of his arms onto the sofa. She danced around excitedly before running over to her basket that held her toys.

"You need a toy box," Gibbs remarked. "I'd better make one for you."

"You would do that?" Jenny asked. Gibbs could hear hope and delight in her voice that someone else loved the little toddler as much as she did.

"Of course. I'd be happy to," Gibbs assured her.

They made eye contact. There it was - their spark, alive and well. The darling little girl was a fan that was helping to infuse more life into that spark, turning it into a brilliant flame. Although they had not discussed it - in typical Gibbs-Shepard fashion - it was there and they both knew it. They both loved it too.

Ziva, preferring love being pointed toward her in action, tipped over her basket and located her favourite toys.

"Pway!"

Gibbs smiled as he took a seat on the living room floor. He was immediately bombarded by toy cars.

"Don't you have any girl toys for her?" he asked Jenny.

"I would have thought that you would have been in full support for little girls to play with cars," Jenny commented as she put away several groceries that she had picked up on the way home.

"Oh, I am," Gibbs said as Ziva handed him a red car, "but doesn't she like dolls?"

"She had a few in Israel, but seemed to like her cars more. I think it was partly because they were gifts from her brother who she absolutely adored. And honestly, since we moved I've been buying furniture and clothes. I haven't had a whole lot to spend on entertaining her. She found a toy car that she wanted and I bought it for her, but she generally ends up playing with anything that she can find - half the time that is items in the kitchen. Her birthday is coming up and I will buy her toys then."

"When is that?"

"November 12."

"Coming right up in a month and a half. Are you having a party for her?"

"I don't know."

Gibbs drove a car along Ziva's arm, causing her to giggle. "Abby'll want her to have one. Probably host it too, if you let her."

"Probably." Jenny paused and let the idea sink in before turning to Gibbs. "Would that be safe, Jethro?!"

Gibbs chuckled. "I'll make sure that she understands any ground rules. She loves Ziva. Everyday at work she is asking about when I last saw her or when she'll get a chance to babysit or showing me her updated gift basket."

"Gift basket?"

"She's decided that she wants to have a basket of little gifts in the lab so that whenever Ziva comes to visit NCIS, then she can give her a gift. I think today's new addition was glitter stickers."

"Diders?!" Ziva asked hopefully, parking her car and crawling into Gibbs' lap to make sure that she had his full attention. She waited expectantly for the craft supply that had become a favourite since sticker day the previous week at the daycare.

"Not here," he told her. The big eyes watching him intently became sad. He quickly added "But Abby has some for you. She'll bring them soon."

Ziva tilted her head and grinned at hearing Abby's name.

"Dabby tum?"

"She'll come soon, or you'll go see her. She loves you."

Ziva rubbed her eyes - obviously her busy day was catching up with her - and leaned against his chest as she sleepily echoed "Wuv."

Abby was not the only one that loved Ziva, and the toddler's sweet accent had just melted the heart of the man who adored her. Gibbs squeezed her in a hug until she jabbed back at sleep and wiggled with refocused energy as she began reaching for her toys again.

"Pway!"

"Okay, okay, Ziver - we'll play. But Jen?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Do you have something in mind?"

"Yeah. What do you think about Abby babysitting?"

**...**

**:) I am SO excited for the next few chapters - lots of surprises coming up soon! **


	11. Chapter 11 - Night Out

**Hello, everyone! I am soooooo sorry that it has been over a month since I last updated. I got fiftyshadeswritergal to help me edit, but then I forgot that I had not posted! Thank you for your patience! I finished my last exam yesterday so now I should be able to write a little more often! :D **

**Thanks to all who reviewed on the last chapter - Troubled-Angel-26, Hetwaszoietsals, HannaBananas13, his-red-head, MissShephardGibbs, Loads of Randomness, DS2010, Hawk, S, Patti Lipscomb, Fan, didodado, Suzy Q1068, Sarai, KrisShannon, and Guest. :D I appreciate your patience and hope that you are able to enjoy this one and the next which should be coming within a week. :) **

**Enjoy! **

**...**

"Are you sure that you will be fine? Because I could ..."

"We're fine!" Abby insisted.

"Fwine!" Ziva echoed from Abby's arms. She had rainbow and ice cream rub-on tattoos on her cheek and her sheet of glittery stickers clasped tightly in her hands. She looked over Abby's shoulder at a bag of surprises that the Goth auntie had brought. A stuffed puppy was peeking out. He looked very exciting to the two year old. A container of fluffy pink and blue candy - which Auntie Abby had whispered was "cotton candy" and "don't tell Mama" - was hidden in the bag as well and Ziva wanted another taste. That tiny bit that Abby had sneaked her already was not enough.

"Give Mama a kiss and say 'night night!'" Abby coaxed.

"Oh, maybe I shouldn't go," Jenny worried.

"Night night!" Ziva chirped, distracted as she noticed sparkly gems on Abby's collar and began to trace them with her tiny finger.

"This might be a bad idea," Jenny continued to worry, leaning over and kissing Ziva's forehead.

"Just go! Ziva'll be fine. I'll take good care of her. And you need to have a night off from being a mommy," Abby encouraged.

"I can't take a night off of being a mother! I'm all that she has. I'm being irresponsible. I knew it! I should stay with her."

"All moms take a night off every now and then. You're a wonderful mommy to Ziva."

"But if I was wonderful I would not be leaving her to go have a night out!"

Abby sighed.

Thankfully knock on the door interrupted the cycle of doubts.

"There's Mama's date!" Abby cheerfully announced to Ziva.

"He is not a date," Jenny protested weakly, giving Abby a stern look to quiet down as she opened the door. Abby just grinned, smug with victory as Gibbs stepped inside.

"Abs."

"Hi, Gibbs!"

Ziva reached her arms out, excited to see her friend. Gibbs smiled and took the baby.

"Hey, Ziver," he said, tickling her tummy and kissing the top of her head. Ziva returned the kiss before he handed her, wiggling, back to Abby.

"Mitter Dibbs! Pway!" Ziva demanded. Gibbs shook his head gently.

"Not tonight, Ziver. Mama and I are going out."

"Out where?" Abby asked, brimming with visible curiousity. Gibbs just smirked and shook his head, a little more firmly this time.

"Need to know, Abs."

"What if I need to know?"

"She's right! There could be an emergency!" Jenny gasped. "Jethro, this is a bad..."

"We have cell phones and Abby knows our numbers by heart - don't ya, Abs?"

"Sure do!"

"Then have a good night, girls. Jen and I'll be back around 10:00."

"But that is too late. If Ziva won't settle that will be much too late to have to put her to bed."

"I'll make sure she goes to bed!" Abby protested. "I'm great at this. Trust me, Director. If I can handle a lab FULL of chemicals and evidence, a toddler is a vacation!"

Jenny took a deep breath and then her shoulders slumped in defeat. "All right. I will be back around 10:00. Call me..."

"...if I need you. Yes, I will. Now go have fun!" Abby coaxed. "Come on, Ziva, blow kissies to Mama and Mr. Gibbs. Do it like this. Oh, good girl! Those are big kisses!"

Jenny gave the toddler - who was happily copying Abby's demonstration on blowing kisses - a final kiss and then Jethro swooped her off to their first date night in a decade.

...

"Hurry up, Kate, or we'll be late to the restaurant!" Tony hollered.

"You said that we had an hour until our reservation!" Kate yelled back from where she was still getting ready in the bathroom.

Tony slumped. He just wanted her to hurry up so that he could kiss his beautiful fiancee. And it didn't help that although he was fairly certain that she would like the ring hidden away in his pocket, he really wouldn't know until he presented it to her at dinner. Because as nice as this secret engagement was, he was bursting with pride! He needed to tell the whole world how much he loved this special woman. He needed to show her that he loved her more than anything, even his check book. He had spared no expense for the ring while trying to stay within the boundaries of what she would like.

Oh, he could not wait until he could see it on Kate's beautiful hand and - even better - see that particular shine in her eyes that she always got when most touched and happy. When he was the one putting that look into her eyes, she was the most gorgeous woman on earth.

...

"So, what should we do first, Ziva?" Abby asked the toddler who was looking at the closed door with wide, confused eyes. Her lower lip trembled a little.

"Mama?" she asked as she pointed to the door.

"No, Auntie Abby's here to play with you! Mama has to go ... help Mr. Gibbs! You like helping, right? Helping's good! And I'm helping Mama by helping you have fun, so you can help everyone in this situation by having a fun time. Do you think that you can do that?"

Ziva blinked in confusion. Abby smiled and continued with her line of encouragement.

"You can? Great! What a wonderful helper! I'm so lucky to have you helping me tonight!"

Ziva was now even more thoroughly confused but Abby was right about one thing - she loved being a helper. And if she was correct, somewhere in that jumble of words was also the word "fun". Crying for Mama could wait for a bit.

"Yummy?" she asked, pointing to the bag hiding the cotton candy.

"Oh, you want some more candy? What a good idea! See? You're already being such a good helper!" Abby encouraged as she set the tot down on the sofa and retrieved the container of pure sugar. She took off the lid. "Now, pink or blue?"

"Pink an bwue!"

"Good idea! I like that attitude. I think that I'll join you if you don't mind? Then maybe we'll go get some supper."

**...**

**I hope that you enjoy! I will be posting again soon! **

**Lots of love! MM**


	12. Chapter 12 - Candy Conflicts

**Hi, everyone! **

**Before you move on to the story, I'd love to tell you that I am hosting a writing contest at the account titled Quarantine Writing Challenge. It is open to all fandoms and is accepting submissions until May 2! Make sure to go check it out! Even if you have never written a story before, you are welcome to use this as your motivation to start! We also need readers/voters starting on May 4. Please check out that account profile for more details and feel free to message me at that account or this one for more information or to answer any questions!  
**

**Thanks to the reviewers on the last chapter - Troubled-Angel-26, his-red-head, slibbsshipper, Sarai, HannaBananas13, DS2010, Loads of Randomness, Hetwaszoietsals, MissShepardGibbs, Suzy Q1068, Guest who, Hawk, Fan, fiftyshadeswritergal, and Fashionista-girl. It is so encouraging to see so many people enjoying this story too! If you ever see ways that I can improve (feasibly - I cannot post multiple times a week on each story so that is unfortunately off the table, but I love hearing other suggestions or constructive critques), please let me know! **

**Now, please enjoy! **

**...**

Abby and Ziva snacked on cotton candy. It melted on their faces and made their chins sticky, but it was a delicious treat!

...

"Here we are," Gibbs announced as he pulled into a parking space in front of the fancy restaurant. He had lost his chance to do this years ago - he was not going to mess it up again. He got out and walked around, opening Jenny's door for her.

"You do know that women are capable of opening doors for themselves, don't you?" Jenny quipped, but she could not succeed in hiding her smile at the chivalrous gesture.

"I've seen you kick in doors before - I don't want you deciding that'd be an easier way out of the car than using a handle," Gibbs responding jokingly.

Jenny laughed and took the offered arm without comment.

They strolled in the doors to be greeted by the sounds of a string quartet and gently clinking dishes.

...

"Now, what do you want for supper?" Abby asked the toddler.

"Tandy!"

"Shh! No! You're not supposed to learn that word," Abby scolded nervously. She had a strong suspicion on how Jenny would react if she learned that the scientist had been feeding her precious baby candy - by telling Gibbs. And how Gibbs would tell Abby that they did not approve might be a little less than fun. It would be best if they never knew.

At least Ziva now liked Abby a whole lot more! Their friendship was sealed with a mutual love of sucrose.

But that friendship was about to be tested by the decree "No cotton candy for supper."

"Ookies?"

"No! You can't have cookies for supper, you silly baby!" Abby sighed, bending down to kiss a sticky little cheek. The toddler, denied of her favourite "supper", ducked away in a fit.

"OOKIES!"

"No cookies."

"MAMA!"

"Oh, so you're going to try to manipulate me now?" Abby asked calmly, recognizing the toddler's steps. "I'm the queen of that, sweetheart. It won't work."

Ziva plopped to the floor and started screaming.

...

Tony was hollering once again.

"KATIE! If we don't leave now ..."

"...We're going to be late. So why haven't you started the car yet?" Kate asked, bustling into the room while trying to pull her coat on over her dress.

"Hey! We have a second. Let me see you without the coat before we leave!" Tony insisted. "You're so gorgeous, Beautiful." Kate blushed a little at the compliment but proudly modeled her new dress bought specifically for this night.

"Do you really like it?"

He stepped forward to give her a kiss that would leave no doubt that he did.

...

"I'll be back with orders in just a bit," the waiter said with a smile.

"No need to hurry. We are in rush," Gibbs said.

Jenny bit her lip nervously, but finally relented with a deep breath and a little smile, relaxing in the glow of candles and tasteful light fixtures. Real flowers on their table added their fragrance to the delectable scents from the kitchen. She leaned back into the upholstered seat with the velvety fabric. Stress that she had been holding for months began to drain from her body. Her eyes began to sparkle as her happiness and comfort became the primary concern of the evening, along with that of her partner.

"You are right. Abby will be fine."

...

"NO!" Ziva yelled, pushing the carrots away for the fourth time in a row. Her cheeks were still wet from the tears of her continuing tantrum, but somehow Abby was actually calmer about it then Mama usually was. Abby was eating her whole supper, while Ziva was sitting there, starving!

"Yes," Abby insisted, putting more carrots on the fork and giving it to Ziva.

"OOKIES!" Ziva hollered, throwing her fork down on her plate. She was not starving for carrots! She _needed_ cookies!

"No cookies unless you eat your carrots. If you eat them, then maybe you can have a cookie after."

"OOKIES! MAMA!" Ziva shrieked. Where was Mama with a cookie jar? She needed to come help, right now! Not that Mama liked it when Ziva was screaming, but that was beside the point.

"Well, I'm going to eat all my carrots and then I'll get a cookie. If you eat your carrots, you can have a cookie too. But you _only_ get a cookie for eating carrots! They're connected with cause and effect. Got it?"

Any scientific reasoning flew right over the toddler's head, but she could tell that the tantrum was not having the intended effect - and she _was_ hungry. She rubbed her wet little face with the back of her fisted hands in frustration as she quieted her screaming - after all, if Abby was not going to give her the cookies right away there was no point to the continued theatrics.

"Do you want to eat your rice and chicken or your carrots first?" Abby asked with an encouraging smile.

"Wice," she sniffled, pointing to it on her plate.

"Yes! Okay. Hmm, your fork isn't working great for this, is it? Want me to get a spoon for you? I'll get a spoon."

Tantrum forgotten, Ziva eagerly waited for Abby to bring back her spoon with the pink handle with a butterfly on it! She liked using her spoon all by herself. She was a big girl!

And Mama often said if big girls were good girls and ate all their meals, sometimes they get cookies!

There was hope after all!

**...**

**I hope that you enjoyed! And make sure to check out the contest account. More writers would be wonderful, but readers will find lots of fun there too starting May 4!**


	13. Chapter 13 - Bubble Bath Blahs

**Hi, everyone! Yes, it's me - MaidenMoonshine, finally returning to the scene of the story! I found writing to be a little difficult lately (I've been doing lots of editing and the mindset involved in that is far different - at least for me - than the one that allows me to write new selections). Anyway, this finally scrambled together. :) A new chapters of "Echoes" is on its way as well. Probably look for it tomorrow or Monday. :) **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter - Sarai, Troubled-Angel-26, his-red-head, Hetwaszoietsals, Jibbsforever, Loads of Randomness, DS2010, Suzy Q1068, and Dawn248. :) I appreciate that you take the time to let me know that you read. I always like hearing what in particular you like about the chapter or story. :D **

**Stay safe, everyone! And please, enjoy! **

**...**

"I will be back in a moment to take your order," the waitress told Tony and Kate. Then she left them to their own world, which at the moment was free of the concerns and rigours of their work, the responsibilities and concerns of their respective families, and busy activities of their friendship circles. It was just the two of them and their own hopes and dreams and joint future that they were considering as they leaned their heads close together and whispered and laughed and whispered some more with the occasional kiss as they spent this precious time together.

...

"Here is your food. Now is there anything else that I can do for you?" the waitress asked Jenny and Gibbs after setting the fragrant dinners in front of them.

"None at the moment," Jenny answered with a gracious smile.

"Lovely. Then I will come back to check on you in a few minutes," the waitress said with a charming smile before moving on to the check on the next table's needs and desires.

...

"Do you want a cookie for eating all your supper?" Abby asked Ziva who had eagerly and easily finished eating all her rice, chicken, and carrots.

"Yeah!" Ziva cheered excitedly, banging her spoon against the table.

"Okay! Let's go find one! And then after you eat it maybe you should have a bubble bath with some toys - I bought you some as a present. You're a little messy," Abby remarked, looking at the rice smeared all over the toddler's face. Somehow a few grains had ended up tangled in her curls as well. Yet somehow the toddler still appeared charmingly adorable.

"Bath!" Ziva echoed joyfully, looking up at Abby with great admiration glowing in her giant brown eyes. A cookie and new toys and a bubble bath! Abby was FUN! Ziva wanted to be babysat every night!

...

Jenny and Gibbs were fully enjoying their evening. Dinner came and they leisurely took their time savouring every bite. In their line of work meals were often microwaveable or takeout, if not delayed or skipped all together. This was a treat for both of them.

"Even if it makes me sound like a bad mother, I have to admit that I am enjoying a meal without food all over the floor or someone's face," Jenny laughed gently.

"Not a bad mother - just a tired one," Gibbs affirmed. "You need to take time for yourself occasionally."

Jenny smiled, letting herself flirt with him just a little. "Perhaps I could be persuaded to do just that."

Gibbs returned the smile.

That sounded enjoyable.

...

"Tony, you are looking a little pale? Are you sure that you are okay?" Kate pressed gently.

"Me? Of course I'm fine!" Tony joked, but he nearly knocked over his wine glass. Kate reached out to steady it and looked at him strangely.

"Tony?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Just ... do you want to look at the dessert menu?"

...

Ziva splashed her hands in the water and shrieked in delight when the bubbles flew up into the air.

Abby laughed.

"You having fun?"

Ziva just beamed at her and made the rubber dolphin dive under the piles of bubbles.

"Five more minutes, okay? Then we need to get you changed into your pjs."

A tiny frown crossed Ziva's face at that announcement, but it quickly faded as she was distracted by another large pile of bubbles that she had to spotted on the other side of the tub.

"Spwash!" she squealed, smacking the surface of the water and poking her face into the bubbles to get some on her nose.

"You are just too cute," Abby sighed happily.

...

Toddlers do not have the best time perception. Five minutes in time out is forever. Five minutes when playing is just like seconds. So when Abby held out her hands and said, "Come on, Zizi, it's time for you to get dried off and into your pjs," there was a surprised and instantly upset toddler.

"No!"

Ziva looked at Abby whose face seemed to get unhappy too.

"Now, Ziva, it's time to get out of the bath."

"No!" Ziva shrieked. Pjs meant bedtime. Ziva did not like bedtime. Bedtime was no fun. But bathtime? Bathtime was full of bubbles and toys and splashing! Bathtime was lots of fun and Ziva was not ready for it to be over.

"Ziva," Abby said sternly, trying to reach out for her. "It is time to get out. Now."

Ziva was not on board with the plan. She kicked and splashed the water and ended up getting some water on Abby's face.

"Augh! Ziva, do not do that. You're being naughty."

"Nooooooo!" Ziva hollered, splashing more water and bubbles all over the bathroom. Abby's face went grim for a second before her apparently had an idea. She smiled a sneaky smile before reaching into the tub and pulling out the stopper.

"Go ahead and stay there then," Abby said calmly.

Ziva smiled. That tantrum had worked well! Now she could keep playing. She splashed the water cheerily and calmed down. But wait? What was that sound? And where was the water going?! It was disappearing and all the bubbles were starting to move toward the drain. Ziva's lower lip trembled as she surveyed the situation.

"Oh, it looks like all the water is going bye-bye. Do you want to get out now?" Abby announced calmly, earning her what would equate to a death glare from the toddler who scooted toward the drain herself to stay with all the bubbles.

Ziva outlasted all the water but as the bubbles began to pop she began to get a little chilly. The bathtub was cold and sad without water to splash. She began to shiver a little.

"Look at this nice warm towel I found," Abby announced in surprise, lifting a small brown towel with a little monkey hood on it. "Maybe I should use it."

"No! Mine!" Ziva protested, reaching for it.

"Oh, is this your towel? But if you want to sit in the tub then you don't need it. I'll use it!"

"No!" Ziva shouted, tears springing to her eyes at the thought of her towel being stolen from her while she was wet and cold.

"Okay, okay, you can have it," Abby assured her, wrapping it around the toddler who had scrambled to her feet. She lifted Ziva out of the tub and onto her hip. "Want to go get in your pjs now?"

Ziva, holding tightly to her towel, nodded. She wasn't going to let Abby take her pjs either!

**...**

**I hope that you enjoyed! **

**Hopefully I will be able to update this story again soon. Thank you for your patience! **


	14. Chapter 14 - Stories and Sparkles

**I know, I know ... it's been forever. Sorry! I was finishing off my story "Cable and the Convention" to be able to give me more time to fully focus on "Echoes" and this story. I have not abandoned this one (I already have the next chapter prepared) but I am also trying to build up a reserve of chapters as I am doing a NaNoWriMo camp in July and I will want to focus mostly on my chapter during that time (although I will not forget you, my friends!). **

**Thanks to the reviewers - Troubled-Angel-26, Sarai, Loads of Randomness, Hetwaszoietsals, his-red-head, MissShephardGibbs, DS2010, KrisShannon, Suzy Q1068, Fan, Fashionista-girl, and Guest. **

**Have a wonderful day. And now ... you'll finally find out what made Tony so nervous in the last chapter ...**

**...**

Abby had been taking pictures of herself and Ziva together - lots and lots of silly faces! - and was now sending them to Tony, Kate, Tim, Ducky, Jimmy, and anyone else that she could think of who might possibly enjoy them. Oh, the nuns from the bowling team! She kept sending the adorable photos, certain that they would melt everyone else's hearts the same as they were doing with her.

Ziva cuddled up in Abby's lap and looked up at her babysitter adoringly. Abby was nice. Even though Ziva was in her favourite pajamas, Abby had not done anything else toward getting her in bed. Mama usually continued right along the schedule. Abby had taken lots of pictures. Even though she would not let Ziva run around and play with her toys - instead cuddling her and showing her how to make finger puppets dance along the wall - Abby seemed in no hurry to push Ziva through the bedtime routine. Now this was how it was supposed to be!

And since there was no pressure and she was feeling so happy and relaxed and because story time was her favourite part of bedtime, Ziva's busy little mind - possibly unknowingly slowing down in preparation for sleep - turned toward her favourite book.

"You wead stowy?" she asked charmingly.

Abby, looking down at the dimpled face still moist from bath time, knew that it was impossible to say "no" - not that she would have wanted to anyway.

"Of course we will read your story, baby."

"Me not baby! Me big!"

"Of course, big girl. You scamper off and get your story book and we'll read it together, okay?"

Abby watched Ziva disappear in search of her book, smiling amusedly behind the toddler's back. Someone was going along with her bedtime routine without a single whimper!

Now who was the best babysitter in the world?!

...

Tony waited until the dessert had arrived but he could not take a bite with how nervous he was.

"Tony?" Kate asked questioningly as he stood up. Then she sort of gasped "Tony?!" with a mixture of confusion and delight as he knelt next to her seat and pulled out the ring box.

"Caitlin Todd, will you do me the immense pleasure of allowing me to officially love you forever as my wife?" He flipped open the lid of the engagement ring - just like he had practiced - revealing the ring that he had chosen for the love of his life. Several agonizing seconds passed as he waited to see whether or not she liked it.

Tony relaxed immensely as Kate beamed. She had slightly teared up the first time that he had asked. It had been an intimate moment of conversation and it had felt right for him to ask her then, alone in that flower garden that evening. That would always be the original. But this would be the official one. It felt just as right for this proposal to be public, a declaration of their love laid open to the strangers all around them.

"Yes, Anthony DiNozzo, Jr., I want to be yours and I want you to be mind for the rest of our lives."

Kate held out her hand expectantly. Tony hurriedly removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger, kissing it once he got it on all the way. He looked up at her face again. It looked like heaven was being reflected from her eyes. Her smile - was there anything better than that smile?!

She tugged him to his feet and stood to embrace him, lifting her face to kiss him.

Somewhere nearby but simultaneously an entire world away they could hear the other restaurant guests clapping for them in honour of their engagement.

All that Tony and Kate knew in the moment was their kiss, their hold, their love.

...

"I wonder what's going on over there," Jenny wondered curiously as they heard other guests clapping.

"Tony and Kate got engaged," Gibbs said calmly before taking another bite of his dessert.

"Excuse me?" Jenny asked, looking at him in shock. "Tony and Kate - as in your team members? Engaged?!"

"Oh, they've been dating quietly for months now. Been engaged for a few weeks too. Must be making it official now," Gibbs said in explanation before taking another swig of coffee.

"I cannot see them from here," Jenny said ruefully.

"Me either."

"Then how do you know it really is them? It could be any couple, Jethro."

"Saw Tony's car on the way in. You really need to brush up on your observation skills there, Jen."

"But ... it might not be them," Jenny said, still in disbelief.

"Why? Can't see them getting married?"

Jenny shook her head gently, still in shock. "I mean ... I thought that they were fighting all the time."

"Yeah. That's how they work things out. They both have tough skin. Once they get things worked out, you can't get a better team ... at least not with younger agents," he said. It might have had an implied meaning.

"Well, I will wish them the very best - although there is no way that they will be able to stay on the same team together. That is far too risky."

Gibbs shrugged. He had expected that, even if he did not like. "They'll figure it out."

"It will also have to be 'figured out' officially too."

Gibbs smirked. Jenny rolled her eyes.

"It will, Jethro!"

"I'll leave that part to you then. I hate the paperwork."

I could have seen that coming.

Gibbs, apparently slightly more talkative on the topic than on others, added, "They balance each other good. They've been partners successfully for several years now. Neither one has taken off on the other when they had the chance. I don't think they ever will."

Jenny looked down for a moment. She knew exactly what he was saying.

And she hated it.

...

Gibbs flagged down a waiter.

"I want to cover the bill for the couple that got engaged," he said softly, trying to hide his good deed even from Jenny. He was hard on his team but that did not mean that he could not do something nice for them every now and then - especially when they went and got engaged!

Jenny smiled weakly at him as he turned back to her. He could detect the fresh anxiety in her eyes behind the happy facade. It had been wrong to bring up her abandoning him tonight. He began to silently berate himself.

Stop sabotaging yourself! Every time you start thinking of the future, you just have to bring up the past, don't you?! You both made lots of mistakes. You're both different people now. You loved that Jenny but this one is more mature and even more beautiful and precious. Stop hurting her! Every time you do it, you hurt yourself too.

"I've heard that forgiveness and starting fresh can be beneficial for relationships," Jenny finally said meaningfully.

"My team's been ... helping me learn that over the last few years," he admitted.

"And are you a good learner?"

"I'm ... trying."

The anxiety faded from her eyes and she nodded in satisfaction.

"So am I. I'm also a lot more stubborn."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I'm much better at persevering through problems. My communication skills have also grown exponentially."

"Stubbornness can be good," he commented with a small smile.

"It certainly can," she said with matching happiness and hope.

...

Abby sat back in her chair after a quick clean-up of the house (playtime had been a little rambunctious). Ziva was upstairs in her bed, fast asleep. Of course, it had taken three stories (one being read twice in a row) but finally the toddler had been unable to withstand dreamland. Now Abby settled back to reply to all the texts about the pictures of her and Ziva. She realized that she still had not received an answer from Tony or Kate - what was up with those two?!

**...**

**Hope that you enjoyed! Was the proposal a bit of a surprise to anyone? **

**I am thinking that this story might be another five or so chapters. If there is anything that you are desperate to see, please let me know! :D **


	15. Chapter 15 - Found Out

**Thank you so much for waiting. I have been preparing by stockpiling chapters for the month of July so that I can focus on my Camp NaNoWriMo project. :D Very special thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal who has edited somewhere around half a dozen chapters or more for me in preparation for this month. Thank you, fiftyshadeswritergal! You are such a jewel! :D I appreciate it very much! **

**Thanks for reviews on the last chapter to the following: Sarai, Troubled-Angel-26, his-red-head, Hetwaszoietalsals, Loads of Randomness, DS2010, Louisa, Guest who, Fan, Dawn248, Suzy Q1068, and fiftyshadeswritergal. :) I appreciate hearing from all of you! **

**Hugs and please enjoy! **

**...**

Tony was shocked when he asked for the bill - how could they continue to eat when they were filled to the brim with happiness?! - and discovered that some sweet person had paid for them.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, holding out his hand to her.

Kate was admiring her own hand in the light. "Oh, yes!" she said with slight distraction in her tone as she gazed at the sparkling diamond.

Tony smiled proudly and put his arm around her as he led the way to the door.

"Hello, Tony, Kate."

_That sounds like ..._

_It can't be ..._

_Why is ..._

"Gibbs!" Tony said in a hybrid of shock and horror. "What are ... why are ... hello, director."

"Hello, Agent DiNozzo and Agent Todd," Jenny said with an amused quirk in her smile.

"We're just ... just ..." Kate stumbled over her words. She looked at Tony and her eyes conveyed her confusion over what to say.

_We haven't told anyone! Barely anyone even knows that we're dating!_

_But now we have to explain this somehow!_

"Congratulations," Gibbs said, causing the two agents to switch their panicked glances from each other to focused solely on him.

"For...?" Tony said cautiously.

Gibbs chuckled at them with amusement.

"You've been dating for a long time now. It's good that you're committing to each other."

"Really?" Kate asked with a surprised sparkle in her eyes.

"Really?" Tony echoed, even more in shock than Kate was. "But what about the rules?"

"Yeah," Gibbs assured them. "Sometimes that is one of the rules that can be bent a little."

_Like if Jenny happened to get interested ..._

"Congratulations from me as well," Jenny seconded before smiling and raising an eyebrow at them. "However, fraternization is still not supposed to happen in the workplace. In the next week or so we'll have a meeting and discuss some options as to how we can make this work in the office as well. Does that sound workable?"

Kate and Tony nodded quickly but they were eager to go. Work was not exactly the first thing on their minds. But then ...

"Um ... please do not tell ..."

"Don't worry. Tel your family first. Abby and Tim will find out from you, not before."

"Thank you!"

And then Kate and Tony were headed for the door, excited to tell their family.

Gibbs and Jenny saw them off with indulgent smiles before turning back to each other.

"I hope they have all the happiness in the world," Jenny said liberally.

"All?" Gibbs asked. "Don't you think that you'd want some left over for ... others?"

"Love grows. The more we use the more there is," Jenny said wisely before eating her final bite of dessert. "And talking about love, there is a little girl who I love very much and that I need to get back to before too long.

"Are you ready to go?" Gibbs asked, reluctance heavy in his tone.

"I guess I am," Jenny said softly.

...

Abby started as she heard the key in the door handle but then smiled when she saw it was Gibbs and Jenny returning - together.

"Hello, Abby. How was Z..."

"Your night out!" Abby interrupted eagerly. "How was it?!"

"Fine," Jenny said distractedly. "Where's Zizi? Was she good? Is she in bed? Is she sleeping? Oh ... did she have nightmares? I never thought of that! Did she have a nightmare, Abby? Did she miss me?"

Abby raised an eyebrow and turned to Gibbs. "So the dinner was just fine? And also, why do you think I'm dramatic if you actually dated her?!"

"Hey!" Gibbs quickly corrected her with a frown. Abby just smiled mischievously before turning to Jenny. "She had a great evening and was good as gold. I love her so much!"

"Really? No problems?" Jenny asked in surprise, not sure if that was a good thing (in that Ziva could be left with a babysitter when necessary) or a bad thing (in that Ziva was often rather wild when it was just Jenny at home).

Abby tilted her head to the side a little and thought back over the night. Despite the argument over cookies and the refusal to get out of the bath ... "Oh, it was great!"

Gibbs picked up on the fact that there might have been a slight stretching of the truth in that statement but decided to trust Abby's judgment in reporting.

"Just let me get some money to pay you," Jenny muttered, reaching for her purse.

Abby put up her hands in refusal. "No, no pay. I wanted to do it and it was so much fun! Thank you! I think that I have a new little buddy and I can't wait until next time!"

Jenny opened her mouth to protest but Abby shook her head so firmly that her ponytails hit her lightly in the face. "No," she insisted.

"Thank you," Jenny said, reluctantly setting her purse to the side.

"I sent pictures to my friends," Abby said happily. "I'll send them to you, too, since they are so adorable of Ziva! We had a lot of fun. Tim thought that they were cute. But Tony and Kate haven't replied yet, which is weird since usually they are really good on replying to texts."

Jenny and Gibbs exchanged a look behind Abby's back as she gathered up her bag.

"I'm sure they'll be in touch soon," Gibbs said in an absent tone.

Abby looked up with a bright smile. "They'll love the pictures once they see them, I'm sure!"

Jenny smiled and nodded as Abby headed toward the door. "Thank you again, Abby."

"My pleasure! See you soon! Night!" Abby paused next to Gibbs and kissed his cheek. He kissed hers in return and watched her leave fondly.

"She's a good girl," he said reflectively. "All of them are good, the whole team."

Jenny nodded. "It doesn't hurt for them to hear that from you sometimes. You don't verbalize it enough, do you?" She had not been around too much but she already suspected. Gibbs shrugged with perhaps the slightest bit of guilt over that fact. "You need to try to do it more often," Jenny insisted.

"I guess," Gibbs said, looking up at her.

"They need to know that you care," Jenny continued. Then she stopped. Gibbs' eyes were saying that he would like to tell someone else that he cared. She blushed a little and shooed him toward the door. "It's late. I need sleep to deal with a toddler in the morning. You need to ... I don't know. Build your ark."

Gibbs smiled, amused, then quietly went to the door before turning back to her. He opened his mouth to say something, then went silent. He nodded toward her. "Thanks, Jen."

"Thank you, Jethro."

Then he left, his heart a little lighter than when he had first arrived to pick up Jenny for the night. He was aware that she was watching him from the window and that knowledge made him smile to himself in pure pleasure.

...

**I hope that you enjoyed! You should be getting another update in a week. :D**


	16. Chapter 16 - Sadness at Sunrise

**I realize that I forgot to post on Tuesday. Sorry! I have been meaning to update but it hasn't worked the greatest. :S So, here we go! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed on the last chapter - Guest, Troubled-Angel-26, helltowngirl61 (two reviews), Loads of Randomness, Suzy Q1068, MissShepardGibbs, Sarai, DS2010, Jibbsforever, and Fan! :D **

**Now please enjoy! **

**...**

Ziva blinked a few times sleepily. Then she sat up and looked around before remembering something - Mama was away last night! Oh no! What if Mama got lost and forgot to come home?! _What if Mama did not come back for little Ziva?!_

The toddler gasped and slid out of the side of her bed, toddling to Mama's room with as much hurry as possible on such short little legs. She reached Mama's room, stood on her tip toes, and struggled to try to open the door knob. It was a little high. Ziva dropped down from her tip toes and pouted a second before realizing that it was open a crack and she could peek inside. With a little push the door opened!

AND THERE WAS NO MAMA!

Ziva ran to Mama's bed and looked inside, her little heart beating quickly with anxiety. Still no Mama.

She spun around in a circle, looking for her Mama. No sign of Mama anywhere.

"Mama!" Ziva squealed, plopping onto the mat on the floor next to Mama's bed. "Mama!" she wailed at the top of her lungs - in such serious times as this there was no room for quiet whimpers first. One needed full-force screams from the outset. "Mama! Mama! MAMA!"

She heard steps and looked up sadly through her tears. Maybe Abby was somewhere around here and would come help - not that anything would really help if Mama was gone forever!

"Oh, baby, did you get scared?" said a gentle voice from the doorway. It was a voice that Ziva knew and loved. Mama! Mama was HERE! Ziva tried to blink the sudden tears from her eyes so that she could see. But it did not matter. Mama was picking her up, cuddling her and kissing her forehead. She wiped the tears from the distraught toddler's wet cheeks.

"It is okay, Zizi, it's okay," Mama cooed, sitting down on her bed and holding Ziva in her lap. "Mama's right here. Did you get scared that I was gone?"

Ziva nodded against her Mama, wailing even more. Mama had to be punished for abandoning her baby in a cold and heartless world. Never mind that the "abandoning" had been leaving her with Abby, netting the lucky toddler with more treats and presents in one evening than anyone would have ever suspected had been stashed in that esteemed babysitter's bag. Forget that the "cold" and "heartless" world had been filled with warm bubble baths and story time and cotton candy and cuddles and the best bedtime in remembrance. Mama had been a bad mama! She needed to feel sorry for being a bad mama before being forgiven.

But then ... Mama had good cuddles and Ziva had missed her Mama cuddle last night. Abby cuddles were nice but Mama's were better.

Ziva lifted her teary face to Mama. Her lip pushed out in a pout was trembling.

"Kissy?"

"Of course, sweetie," Mama said, giving her three kisses instead of one.

Ziva snuggled against her and began to calm down. Snuggling against Mama she could hear her heartbeat. The rhythmic sound soothed the toddler who began to suck on the tip of her finger as the tears dried and her eyes blinked heavily.

"How about you cuddle in bed with Mama until it's time to get ready for daycare? We still have half an hour until you normally wake up," Mama said softly, settling Ziva into the big cozy bed with her.

Ziva reached over and grabbed a hold of Mama's hand. She might be willing to forgive but not to forget. The little queen of demands looked at her mama sternly as she suddenly remembered the cause of all her troubles. Who had taken Mama away? Who had prevented Mama from being there for bedtime and wake-up time.

"No mowe Mittew Dibbs," she grumbled possessively.

...

Jenny did not know how to react when Ziva spoke out against "Mittew Dibbs". She wanted to cry and groan and laugh at the toddler's declaration.

It is too early in the morning to deal with this. Later. This can wait until later.

For now she humoured the lovable miniature tyrant by kissing her tummy and making her little face dimple with giggles before the tiny eyelids closed once again in a sleep of relief. And it only took a short time for Jenny to join her little one in slumber land - but not before setting a second alarm.

**...**

**I hope that you enjoyed. **

**See you soon! **


	17. Chapter 17 - Friends and the Foe

**Hi! I apologize for being so long in updating. I'm going to try to keep working on this at a faster rate now that July is done. **

**Thanks to all the reviewers - Troubled-Angel-26, Sarai, his-red-head, Hetwaszoietsals, Loads of Randomness, Suzy Q1068, DS2010, Fan, Guest Who, and Fashionista-girl. Special thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal for proofreading. :) **

**Enjoy! **

After snuggling time and a short nap with Mama which helped Ziva wake up a second time in a much better mood, the toddler was ready to face the day! She chattered to Mama while getting dressed in her red pants and navy long-sleeved top with the pretty rainbow on the front.

She squirmed around trying to look at Mama while her pants were being pulled on, a difficult feat due to ... busy little feet that wanted to run and play!

"Iddy and Benny!" Ziva declared joyfully.

"Yes, you're going to see your friends today."

Ziva tilted her head at one of her favourite words. "Friends" reminded her of somone else.

"Abby?"

"No, Abby doesn't go to daycare, silly baby!"

"Not baby! Big!"

Jenny laughed indulgently at the indignant little scowl as Ziva tried to push her curls out of her eyes after pulling the shirt on had mussed them.

"Oh, I don't think you're allowed to get too big. I love you so much just as you are, perfectly tiny."

Ziva looked at Mama blankly. What was that supposed to mean? Mama said such silly things sometimes!

"Big!" she insisted before turning to her dresser and hopping up and down, trying to reach the top drawer for herself. No luck, just like yesterday and the day before. "Socks! Up!" she ordered.

Jenny rolled her eye's behind the "big" girl's back at the demand before lifting her up in the air and holding her so that she could take a look at her sock collection.

"Dese!" she announced, selecting the yellow socks with navy and purple polka dots.

"Good choice," Jenny praised, settling the little girl back down on her lap and pulling the socks on while Ziva wiggling her toes and giggled with fascination. Jenny set Ziva on her feet and watched her run around in a little spiral around the room as if "testing" the socks.

"I fast!"

"You sure are! How about we go downstairs and get you some breakfast so that you can have energy to run all day?"

Ziva catapulted herself into Jenny's arms and excitedly kissed her Mama's cheek before cheering "Yeah!"

...

Gibbs knocked on the door. He had decided to stop by with some pre-daycare muffins and coffee for his favourite redhead. He hoped that the chocolate chips would be sweet enough to cancel out any bitterness from some of his less ... kind comments the previous night

Jenny opened the door in surprise.

"Jethro? Why ... what are you doing here?"

"I stopped by with breakfast."

Suddenly there was a tiny colourful commotion down at knee-level as Ziva made her presence known. Gibbs looked down at the tot and was surprised by the impressive scowl. He really had not known that such a big frown could fit on such a small face.

"Good morning, Zive..."

"Bad Mittew Dibbs!" she shrieked, her "righteous indignation" having returned full-force when she heard his voice.

"Ziva!" Jenny scolded, embarrassed. She tried to hush the little enforcer.

"Bad Mittew Dibbs! Bad! Bad! Bad!" Ziva insisted, standing her ground in a way that rather impressed Gibbs despite his confusion over the situation.

"What'd I do?" he asked, but it was only met with a look that clearly said "you know!" as Ziva went into a superior silence.

"She woke up this morning and got scared thinking that I was still gone," Jenny offered in explanation.

Gibbs breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that the toddler's consternation was so easily explained. She had a legitimate reason and he felt sorry for her, thinking of how scary that would be to the little girl who absolutely adored her mama.

"That must have been scary," he said, crouching down to be on eye level with the little spitfire. She drew back a little at the "intrusion", hugging her Mama's leg for emotional support. "But I bet that you were a brave, big girl," he continued. He could see the little look of pride on Ziva's face as she settled down.

"Big!" she sniffled victoriously. She straightened, making the most of her diminutive stature. "Mitter Dibbs" had appeased the toddler's anger.

But ...

"No take Mama no mowe!"

"No promises there," Gibbs said softly, but then amended to, "But maybe we could take a trip to the park, the three of us, next time instead."

Ziva's focus, now that her anger had evaporated and a park had been mentioned, immediately wandered to what Gibbs was holding in his hand.

"Yummy?" she mumbled, suddenly shy again.

"If you like chocolate chips...!"

"Yay! Eat! Me hungwy!"

Gibbs looked up at Jenny. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Chocolate chips? You couldn't go at least for blueberries?"

"Why would I when chocolate chips are your favourite?"

Jenny rolled her eyes up a little but not all the way.

"True," she conceded.

"HUNGWY!"

"You are quite the little mood-downer, aren't ya?" Gibbs chuckled, reaching down and scooping up the ornery child who immediately felt consoled. If she was in his arms she could reach that paper bag of yumminess! He handed Jenny the two coffees to reduce the risk of combining hot beverages and a tiny being of wiggles.

Jenny received the coffee with a pleased smile and led Gibbs to the table. "Come sit down. We can eat together, then I'll run Ziva to daycare."

"No 'cawe!" Ziva protested, kicking a little as Gibbs settled her into her booster chair. She did not want to leave when Mister Gibbs was there for a visit!

"But daycare's where Izzy and Benny ..."

"Go 'cawe! Go 'cawe! But ... hungwy fiwst!"

...

**:) I'll try to update again soon. :D **


	18. Chapter 18 - New Adventures

**Sorry it has been soooooooo long since I last posted for this story (and a little bit since I have posted in any story). I'm getting back into school and hoping the craziness will settle down enough to even think of writing for fun. The good part is that quintawrites (formerly fiftyshadeswritergal) helped me proofread several chapters for this story so I have a bit prepared in advance. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed since last time. I am grateful! **

**Now, enjoy some Ziva and Mama time! **

**...**

Ziva ran to meet Mama at the gate around the daycare playground.

"Mama! Mama! Mama! Wook!"

Jenny looked down at the dimpled toddler grinning up at her.

"Oh, what do you have?"

"Fwowews!"

Jenny smiled at the wilted dandelion surrounds by a few dry pieces of grass. It was quite the bouquet.

"Are they for me, baby?"

"Yeah! Fow you - my Mama!"

Jenny's heart melted a little bit more at the toddler's loving words. Grubby fingers, a sticky face, a broken leaf shedding it's fragile frame through messy curls - this was her little munchkin who she loved with all of her heart.

"Ready to go, sweetheart?"

"Uh huh!"

...

Jenny loaded Ziva into the car after the careworker made sure that Ziva got a scrubbing with a wet wipe to make her presentable to the outside world. She had originally planned on taking Ziva straight home, but she was suddenly struck by the notion that it would be fun to take Ziva somewhere as a surprise. She considered her options carefully, then her face lit up as she remembered a little place that she had been before. It was probably the best place in the world to take a child ... and she was going to take Ziva - her child - there right now. While the toddler had played at daycare, her adoption papers had been finalized. In a week the two of them would go before a judge to make the proceedings official.

This was a day to celebrate.

"Mama! We go home!" Ziva commented from the back seat as the drove past their normal turn off to the house.

"No, we're not going home right now, sugar cookie. We're going somewhere else."

"Me cookie? Whewe? Me eat it!" Ziva jabbered, fixated on the phrase.

_I should have known that would be her focus._

"No, no cookies. We are going to go find a different surprise."

"No cookie?!"

Jenny sighed. Sometimes this toddler way of seeing the world was difficult to cope with when all you had was an adult mind for interpretation.

"No, no cookies," Jenny repeated, looking in the rearview mirror to judge Ziva's mood. Her little face was crumpling and wrinkling and turning red as she got into the mood to cry. "Hey, hey, hey! Baby girl, don't cry! Mama said we're going to go find a new surprise."

Her blood pressure went down a little when Ziva's crinkles began to even out as the toddler's eyes widened in curiousity.

"Suwpwise?"

"Yes, a surprise!"

"Suwpwise!"

"Yes. Are you excited?"

"SUWPWISE!"

"Yes, darling," Jenny replied, wincing a little at the excited squeal from the backseat. At least it was happy rather than the screams that often came from that quarter. She pulled into the parking lot to sounds of Ziva happily singing "Suwpwise, suwpwise, Mama suwpwise, suwpwise," over and over again to herself in a satisfied hum.

"We're at Happy Dreams," Jenny explained, going around and unbuckling Ziva from her car seat. "It is a toy store, And there is a kid's cafe inside so we can get a lovely little snack after we choose a new toy for you. There is an outside eating area near a fish pond and I think you'll like seeing the gold fish and frogs back there."

Jenny watched the big eyes get bigger and bigger as Ziva clutched to her while looking around as they entered the store. An ice cream menu on one wall, a window looking out on a lovely seating area in the back, and baskets and shelves and sand trays and hanging displays showcased toys for busy little hands.

"Down!"

Once Ziva scrambled out of Jenny's hold she was headed for the nearest basket of stuffies. Jenny caught up and watched as Ziva found a stuffed ostrich. It was a ridiculous mix of yellow and pink and blue pastel fluff and a long neck and legs, but Ziva seemed instantly enamored. She kept the ostrich with her while she wiggled and danced and played from one display to another. Still, every time Jenny tried to convince her that another toy might be more fun, the ostrich was hugged tightly while Ziva gave her an indignant head shake. They finally reached a face down between the ostrich stuffie and a plastic tea set with beautiful flowers on the side. Ziva held on to both stubbornly.

"Only one toy today, Ziva," Jenny said firmly.

Ziva shook her head and her face was a clear indication that such a serious decision was going to result in some sort of meltdown ... likely leading into a tantrum.

"What about we take a snack break?" Jenny suggested. "It's almost dinner. Want to bring ostrich?"

Ziva peeked up at her Mama.

"Snacky?"

"Yes," Jenny said consolingly. A toy store staff member was nearby and Jenny motioned them over.

"Can I have the tea set placed on hold for a birthday gift for my toddler?" she whispered.

"Most definitely," the staff member, whose name card read Hannah, assured her with an understanding smile after silently reading the situation. She crouched down and got on eye level with the slightly overwhelmed Ziva.

"Hey, sweetie, what's your name?"

"Zizi."

"Well, hello, Zizi. I'm Hannah. That's a nice ostrich there. Are you going to take her home?"

"Uh huh!"

"That is wonderful! Today all little girls named Zizi get to choose one toy to take home and all the other toys have to stay here. So I'm going to borrow the tea set and put it in a safe place. Is that okay?"

Ziva considered that information, then relinquished the tea set although her arm was still securely around the ostrich. Hannah smiled and pointed to the ostrich.

"Do you want to buy your ostrich now?" Hannah asked, giving Jenny a confirming look. Jenny nodded and smiled.

"How about it, baby? Want to make sure your ostrich is yours forever?"

Ziva nodded, smiling like a little sunflower.

**...**

**More soon! **


	19. Chapter 19 - Silly Snacks and Fish Lips

**Hello! **

**So, I remembered! **

**Thanks quintawrites for proofreading and to the reviewers on the last chapter - Troubled-Angel-26, his-red-head, Sarai, Hetwaszoeitsals, Loads of Randomness, DS2010, Fashionista-girl, didodado, Suzy Q1068, and Fan. **

**Enjoy! **

**...**

Jenny led Ziva - now clutching the "osich" - from the cash to the cafe. She ordered the ham and cheese sandwich even as Ziva pointed eagerly to the cookies on display.

"No, 'wich! Ookie!" protested the tiny tyrant.

Yet the moment the sandwich was delivered, the protests disappeared. It was put into three tiny animal shapes - a duck, a rhino, and a dog. Ziva's eyes lit up at she took in the fun shapes.

"Doggy!" she squealed, grabbing the sandwich and biting in with a big grin.

"I guess I will be adding fun cookie cutters to the shopping list," Jenny commented, pleased that for once getting Ziva to eat was not resulting in a struggle.

"Yummy!" Ziva exclaimed around her food. Jenny reached to move Ziva's plate a tiny bit farther from the edge of the table and Ziva made grabby hands toward the plate and gave an unhappy cry. "My 'wich! No take, Mama! Zizi's 'wich!"

Jenny had never been so pleased to hear Ziva say "no". She left the mini sandwiches where they were and returned her focus to her own bowl of broccoli cheese soup. The ostrich looked on from her seat on the napkin dispenser.

When the sandwich animals had finally disappeared, Ziva looked up hopefully.

"Ookie now?"

Jenny smiled.

"Do you want a cookie or ice cream?"

At the mention of the rare treat, Ziva's eyes nearly doubled.

"Cweam?!"

"Yes, ice cream. Do you want ice cream or a cookie?"

"Cweam!"

Jenny smiled and lifted Ziva onto her hip, walked over to the ice cream display, and showed her the many flavours. Ziva's busy eyes lit on the pink carton.

"Strawberry?" Jenny asked in confirmation.

"Pink 'bewwy?!" Ziva asked in amazement.

"One strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and one coffee ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, both in cones," Jenny ordered.

"Spwinkwes?!"

Jenny smiled down at the toddler who was completely overwhelmed with the wonders of ice cream counters.

When they got their snack they went out to the back and ate their cones next to the fish pond. Most of Ziva's ended up melted over most of her face and chin and shirt and hands and ... Jenny concluded that perhaps it would be easier to list what was not covered in ice cream.

"Wook! Fishy!" Ziva squealed, pointing. A frog leaped off a lily pad - Jenny assumed it was startled by the high-decibel squeal. Ziva giggled in appreciation and hopped in place next to Jenny. "Fwoggy!"

"Oh, are you are froggy now?" Jenny asked, laughing.

"Yes!" Ziva giggled again.

"I think you are a sweet little froggy," Jenny commented, giving Ziva's hand a loving squeeze.

"You be fishy?"

Jenny grinned mischievously and crouched down to be on Ziva's level. She made fish kiss lips. "There. Do I look like a fishy now?"

...

Ziva laughed and touched her mama's lips. How did Mama possess such an amazing talent that she did not know about? That was AMAZING! She tried to make her lips go like Mama's, but it was hard. She would have to practice - with the "osich".

But first ... there was a fish food dispenser and she wanted to feed those fishies!

"Mama? Pweeease!" she said, pointing to the dispenser.

Mama rolled her eyes a little but she reached in her pocket and pulled out some quarters. Soon Ziva's hands were full of fish food and she was generously distributing it to the goldfish splashing below them.

...

_Several days later:_

"What's she doing?" Abby whispered to Tim as they looked at little Ziva happily keeping herself busy on Gibbs' computer chair. Her face was grimacing and contorting.

"I'm not sure. Is she having a seizure?" Tim replied, concerned.

"No, she is okay," a voice said behind them.

"Director!" Abby and Tim exclaimed in unison, turning around to see Jenny who smiled in quiet amusement not unlike Gibbs' characteristic expression after startling them.

"She's practicing fish lips," Jenny explained, walking over to the toddler. "Is my little fishy ready to go home?"

"Yeah!" the fish-lip soon-to-be-expert declared, launching herself onto the already-expert. "Wet's go see gowdfish!"

Jenny rolled her eyes - but she did not say "no".

**...**

**:D **

**The next chapter will be very exciting so make sure to check back next week!**


	20. Chapter 20 - Competing for Kisses

**Thanks to quintawrites for proofreading this chapter! :D I posted a birthday story for her today - "A Speedy, Sparkly, Surprise Celebration for Quinta" - as well as an update on "Echoes", in case you want some more reading today! **

**You've been wanting cute? Here is it! You've been wanting a plot twist? Here it is! You've been wanting to smile? Here it is! **

**I hope! **

**Honestly, I think this is going to make you all very happy... so what are you waiting for? Enjoy!**

**...**

Gibbs held the crying Abby in his arms, gently rubbing her back.

_This was unexpected._

Abby had arrived at his house half an hour, burdened down by guilt over some lie that she had somehow hid for over five days - nearly an all-time record for her. However, those five days had been torturous for the normally truthful young woman. That lead to confession and a "clearing of the slate" with Gibbs. Thus the tears. Although it was not fun, it was still rewarding to be able to spend this time with Abby and give her some more positive attention now. Lately with his focus on Jenny and Ziva he was afraid that perhaps he had been overlooking Abby a little, possibly leading to her lying and getting away with it for so long without any helpful and necessary intervention. She snuggled against him, blinking away tears, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I got you, Abs."

But suddenly there was knock on the door.

"Who's that?" Abby snuffled, confused at the sudden intrusion on the time of comfort.

"I don't know," Gibbs said, gently letting go of Abby and standing to look.

_Please don't let it be ..._

_It is._

He opened the door, already dreading the fifteen questions that would immediately fly out of Abby's mouth.

"Hi, Jenny. I see you brought supper."

...

Little Ziva toddled into the house behind Mama - she had insisted that she could walk in from the car all by herself - and peeked up at Gibbs and ... ABBY! Yay! One of her very best friends was there to play with her!

But something was wrong.

Abby was ... was ... crying!

Ziva trotted over quickly and tilted her to the side curiously as she looked up at one of her favourite people in the world. Her lips began to tremble in sympathy.

"Sad?" she whispered softly.

Abby blinked away some tears and smiled down at the tiny willing comforter.

"Hey, Ziva," she sniffled.

"Sad?" Ziva asked again, patting Abby's knee.

"A little," Abby said softly, scooping Ziva up into her arms and kissing the plump cheek.

Ziva giggled at the kiss and wiggled away so she could look at Abby. She patted the young woman's cheek and held up her sticky fingers.

"Cwying?"

"Yeah."

"Why you sad?"

Abby took a deep shuddery breath and shrugged a little.

"I got in trouble."

"You naughty?"

Abby flushed a little at Ziva's innocent perception.

"A ... little."

Ziva considered that confession for a moment, then looked at Mr. Gibbs and then back at Abby.

"Tubbwe?"

"Trouble?" Abby asked in clarification, looking down at the two serious brown eyes trained unblinkingly on her.

Ziva nodded seriously.

Abby flushed an every brighter pink.

"Yeah, I got in trouble with Daddy Gibbs." She smiled up at Gibbs teasingly, her spunk starting to return. He was not exactly what anyone would consider to be a typical dad, but he was loving and kind to her ... and also stern whenever she needed that particular approach.

Ziva wiggled around to look at Mr. Gibbs and gave him an awful glare.

"No Abby tubbwe!"

"No don't think Abby should get in trouble?" he asked.

Ziva nodded sternly.

"She's not in trouble anymore," he said reassuringly, kissing Abby's cheek in demonstration of his forgiveness. Abby smiled and Ziva's little face was cleared from confusion and condemnation and she clapped happily, reaching for Gibbs.

"Me cuddwe!"

Gibbs and Abby both chuckled and facilitated the trade-off. of the baby who happily received her cuddle from Mr. Gibbs. But she was a little miffed when she did not receive a kiss as well. That was what she had wanted, to make sure that she got exactly the same cuddle as Abby did. She could not have Abby getting more kisses than her!

It was time to take action!

...

At dinner everyone could see how Ziva was eagerly copying everything Abby did. This was a pleasant surprise for Jenny, who was happy to fulfill Ziva's demand for "mowe beans wike Abby". Jenny had to announce that Ziva had eaten enough dinner and remove the rest of the veggies from the determined toddler's reach as she began to have a meltdown that she could not eat as much as her role model.

"Don't you want to still have room for a cookie?" Jenny asked over an increasingly loud wail. The tears stopped instantly.

"Abby cookie too?"

"Yeah, I'll have one. If I can?"

Ziva calmed down and beamed as she and Abby both got cookies. She was just like Abby!

Now Gibbs would want to give her lots of kisses too!

...

"I need to get back home," Abby said reluctantly after a rousing game of hide and seek ... or ten. It all blended together to the little one who could not count.

"No go!" Ziva wailed, grabbing onto Abby's leg and holding on for dear life.

"Hey, sweetie. It's okay. I will see you soon," Abby promised, trying to extricate herself from the toddler's death grip.

"No! No go!" Ziva shrieked. She wanted to be like Abby! How could she be like Abby when Abby was not there to mimic?! It was a disaster!

She could feel Mama's hands begin to try to pry her fingers off of their grips on Abby's boot buckles.

"Let Abby go. She'll be back soon," Jenny coaxed, loosening her grip and scooping Ziva up on her hip before she could reclaim her hold on Abby's footwear.

Ziva burst into tears.

"Oh no!" Abby exclaimed repentantly, "I didn't mean to make her cry!"

"It's okay," Gibbs interjected. "I think she's just tired."

Ziva glared and waved her hands around in protest. She was not sleepy! She wanted to know how to be like Abby to get more kisses! But Mama - et tu, Mama? - was agreeing, saying soothingly, "We'll get this little munchkin home and get her to bed. She'll feel better in the morning after a good night's sleep - right, Ziva?"

Ziva just settled into whimpers as frustration at being misunderstood silenced her wails. Abby gave her a goodbye kiss and that was a little appeasing. She watched as Abby gave Gibbs a hug and quietly said, "Again, Gibbs, I"m really sorry about earlier."

"No more apologies. Like I told you - and even Ziva - earlier, you're not in trouble anymore."

Abby smiled. "Thanks." She impishly kissed his cheek and waved on her way out the door. "Bye, Jenny. Bye, Ziva. Bye, Daddy!"

Gibbs smiled and kissed Abby's cheek before she disappeared. "Love ya too, Abs."

That gave Ziva an idea.

When Jenny bundled her up to take her home, Ziva reached out her arms imploringly to Gibbs.

"Daddy kiss?"

Not perturbed by the awkward body language that her innocent comment immediately inspired in the room, the tiny tyrant was delighted when she received her highly-coveted kiss. She gave him one of her own in exchange. There. Everything was right in Zizi World!

**...**

**So ... **

**What do you want to see next? ;) **

**Hugs! **

**MM**


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